Ex-Brookside star Philip Foster arrested in Spain over £13,600,000 fraud targeting young models

| Live News reporter Published September 18, 2026 2:46pm Updated September 18, 2026 2:59pm Philip Foster has been arrested in Spain after being wanted over a multi-million-pound fraud con (Picture: NCA/PA Wire) Former Brookside star Philip Foster has been arrested in Spain and will be extradited to the UK over a £13.6million fraud. He is known for playing Christian Wright in the Liverpool soap, which ran from 1982 to 2003. The ex-actor, 51, fled the country after being convicted of fraud and money laundering last year and was wanted to serve an eight-and-a-half-year jail sentence. After being found to have run an operation involving an extensive network of sham modelling agencies, Foster was convicted and sentenced in his absence at Sheffield Crown Court last February, having jumped bail, the National Crime Agency (NCA) said. Yesterday, officers from the Guardia Civil in Alicante detained him, and extradition proceedings to return him to the UK are now in progress. Foster is the fourth man featured on the NCA’s recent most wanted campaign to be arrested. A National Trading Standards (NTS) investigation found that more than 6,000 victims parted with large sums of money after being falsely promised paid modelling work in the fraudulent scam. Foster ran the con from his base in Spain, where he lived a luxurious lifestyle while exploiting the dreams of aspiring young models and their parents for more than eight years. Using a network of associates in England, he operated a string of fake agencies and photography studios in London, Manchester, Leeds, Bristol, Coventry, and Nottingham. A six-year NTS investigation uncovered the fraud. Ask Metro Use AI to go deeper into the stories you care about – powered by Metro and trusted publications. It was found that victims were deceived into thinking a model agency was interested in them, as they were sent emails saying they had potential after responding to a local photographic studio and social media ad. An invitation to get a ‘free’ test shoot at the photographic studio was used to try to extort money. They were handed glossy brochures and told that other people like them had been successful. After learning they had ‘passed’ their studio test, they were informed that they would need to buy a photographic portfolio for the modelling agencies keen on booking them. They were told they had to buy their portfolio photographs from the studio to join an agency and become an agency model. Some of them used credit deals arranged by the fraudsters or expensive payday loans to make the upfront payment. But what they were given in return were poor-quality digital photos that would never land them professional jobs. Most were not paid for modelling work. Foster bought high-end watches and cars with his share of the proceeds, while many victims told NTS investigators they had been left financially and emotionally devastated and felt humiliated and betrayed. If you’ve got a soap or TV story, video or pictures get in touch by emailing us soaps@metro.co.uk – we’d love to hear from you. Join the community by leaving a comment below and stay updated on all things soaps on our homepage. Arrow MORE: First picture of man, 32, killed in attack at London Tube station Arrow MORE: Putney Pusher suspect’s sisters say he was arrested by police ‘with a film crew’ Arrow MORE: Council workers lose bid to stop press naming them at Sara Sharif inquest Breaking News Never miss the biggest stories with breaking news alerts in your inbox.