A detailed court case has revealed how a struck-off dentist used her professional expertise and family relationships to orchestrate an elaborate dental insurance fraud, resulting in more than £350,000 in false claims. The sentencing of three members of the same family has highlighted the risks posed when regulatory bans are circumvented through proxy control.
Bozena Rak-Latos, once a registered dental practitioner, was banned from practice in 2018 following a fraud conviction abroad. Despite this, the court heard that she continued to operate effectively as the controlling mind behind Diamond Dental and Medical Clinic in Finchley, using her son and daughter as intermediaries.
Her son, Kacper Latos, had registered with the General Dental Council in June 2020 and began practising shortly thereafter. Almost immediately, he exploited corporate dental insurance schemes by submitting inflated or fabricated claims. Some payments were transferred directly into his personal bank account, where they were used to fund personal expenditure rather than legitimate business costs.
Magdalena Latos, who managed reception and marketing at the clinic, played a crucial operational role. She was responsible for opening business accounts, liaising with insurance brokers and actively pursuing the settlement of claims. Prosecutors argued that her involvement was essential to the scale and efficiency of the fraud.
Between August 2020 and June 2021, the clinic generated claims linked to 113 separate insurance policies. These policies were fraudulently associated with seven companies, falsely listing patients as employees to secure access to corporate insurance benefits. The structure allowed the family to submit a high volume of claims with minimal scrutiny until irregular patterns emerged.
The investigation by IFED uncovered extensive evidence demonstrating Rak-Latos’s continued involvement. Despite lacking any formal role, she provided detailed instructions on claim wording, advised on responses to insurer enquiries and directed steps to obscure evidence once police interest became apparent.
The court noted that this was not a victimless crime. Fraudulent claims increase premiums for legitimate policyholders and undermine trust in healthcare insurance systems. The judge emphasised that professional status had been abused, and that the deliberate exploitation of family ties made the offence particularly serious.
Detective Sergeant Alan Yau of IFED described the fraud as “deeply calculated”, stating that Rak-Latos had used both her dental knowledge and her authority within the family to manipulate her children into criminal activity.
The case serves as a stark warning to regulatory bodies and insurers alike, underlining the need for robust monitoring of corporate insurance schemes and stricter enforcement against individuals attempting to evade professional sanctions.