Convicted fraudster, Conrad de Souza, who held top jobs in the NHS for nine years based on fake qualifications, has plead guilty to attempting to repeat his crime after coming out of prison.

De Souza plead guilty on the first day of his second fraud trial at Croydon Crown Court to six out of nine counts of fraud. He had previously spent over two years in prison for the same offence.

De Souza, 57, from Fulham, London, is due to be sentenced for his latest offences on 12 January. He was brought to court by the same NHS Protect fraud investigation team who caught him the first time.

NHS Protect anti-fraud specialist Dave Horsley said: “It seems that a 27-month custodial sentence in 2011, plus being ordered to repay the NHS £270,000 in 2012, was not a sufficient deterrent last time. I am hoping he has finally learned his lesson and starts being honest with any prospective employers.”

Richard Rippin, head of operations for NHS Protect said: “What is obvious is that de Souza sees himself as suitable for top health jobs even if nobody else does. Had he succeeded in his latest, deceitful job hunt, de Souza would have regained considerable power, responsibility and financial reward – a frightening prospect.

“The vast majority of NHS workers are very skilled and honest people, and indeed we rely partly on them to tip us off when they suspect fraud.”

De Souza was convicted of knowingly giving false information about his education, job history, and prison stay between 2013 and 2014.

He attempted to obtain jobs with:

• The Office for Public Management (OPM), as Fellow in Health, and Consultant in Health
• Slough Borough Council CCG, as Head of Service
• Windsor, Ascot & Maidenhead CCG and C4H Resourcing, as Director of Development Commissioning
• Surrey Health CCG and C4H Resourcing, as Transformation Programme Manager
• Recruitment agency Dearden Interim

Prior to his first conviction in 2011, De Souza lied about being a qualified GP and managed to work in various well-paid, clinical strategy roles for Lewisham Primary Care Trust (PCT) from 2001-2010. During this time he received over £329,000 of NHS money in fraudulently obtained earnings.

De Souza had enrolled at the University of London medical school in 1980 but never graduated.