Success in securing over £118,000 in confiscation orders against two former RAC employees

• Debbie Okparavero and Maliha Islam ordered to pay £85,727.32 and £33,125.00 respectively, plus costs, at Proceeds of Crime Act hearings 
• Outcome sends clear message that we will use our full range of enforcement powers to pursue criminals and recoup profit made from illegal activity 
• Financial hit adds to suspended prison sentence and community orders handed down last year. 

We have secured successful outcomes at Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) hearings, resulting in a total of £118,852.32 in confiscation orders being handed to Greater Manchester based former RAC employees Debbie Okparavero and Maliha Islam. 

The POCA hearings followed an 8 October 2024 hearing in which Okparavero and Islam were sentenced to six-month prison sentences, suspended for 18 months, and each ordered to complete 150 hours of unpaid work. Both defendants had previously pleaded guilty to a conspiracy to commit offences under s1 of the Computer Misuse Act 1990 and the Data Protection Act 2018, for unlawfully copying and selling almost 30,000 lines of personal information. 

Andy Curry, ICO Head of Investigations said:

“This outcome demonstrates justice did not end at sentencing. Our powers enabled us to continue to pursue these two individuals in order to strip them of assets gained through their serious criminal activity. Through the Proceeds of Crime Act, we are ensuring people do not financially benefit from their criminal activity.  

“I would like to once again thank the RAC for informing us about this breach and fully supporting the ICO’s investigation, which enabled us to hold these two individuals to account.” 

The outcome of the POCA hearing shows that we will use the full range of our enforcement powers to bring criminals to account and recoup money, calculated by the Court, which reflects the benefit gained from illegal activity. 

At the hearing held on Friday 29 May 2026 at Manchester Crown Court, Okparavero, from Salford, was ordered to pay £85,727.32, plus costs of £3,550.00. If payment of the confiscation order is not made within three months Okparavero will serve 18 months in prison and still be liable to pay the full amount.  

At a previous hearing in November 2025 Islam, from Manchester, was ordered to pay £33,125.00 within three months plus costs of £2,797.50. Failure to do so would have carried a 10 month prison sentence. In respect of Islam, the confiscation order has been paid in full.