Former Brookside actor Philip Barry Foster has been arrested in Spain after more than a year on the run following his conviction over a £13.6 million modelling fraud.

Foster, 51, was detained by Guardia Civil officers on September 17 in the Alicante area. Extradition proceedings to return him to the United Kingdom are now underway, according to the UK's National Crime Agency.

Fourth fugitive caught from latest Spain campaign

Foster was one of 12 men featured in the National Crime Agency's latest Most Wanted campaign, launched in May 2026 to locate British fugitives believed to be hiding in or linked to Spain.

His arrest makes him the fourth person from that campaign to be detained. The wider Operation Captura initiative, which marks its 20th anniversary this year, has resulted in numerous fugitives being located and returned to the UK.

Convicted in his absence

Foster had been due to face proceedings in the UK but failed to appear after being released on bail.

He was subsequently convicted in his absence at Sheffield Crown Court in February 2025 and sentenced to eight and a half years in prison. The conviction included fraud-related offences and money laundering.

A warrant was issued following his failure to appear, and he was subsequently listed as wanted in connection with the sentence.

Modelling scam involved more than 6,000 victims

The case centred on an extensive network of sham modelling agencies and photography studios operating across England.

National Trading Standards said the operation targeted aspiring models and their families with promises of professional modelling opportunities.

Potential victims were drawn in through advertising and were given the impression that agencies were interested in representing them. They were then encouraged to pay for photographic portfolios and related services.

Investigators found that the photographs provided were often of poor quality and did not provide a realistic route into professional modelling work.

£13.6 million fraud

The prosecution established the scale of the operation at approximately £13.6 million.

More than 6,000 people were affected, according to National Trading Standards. Investigators said some victims were left in serious financial difficulty after paying substantial sums for services that did not deliver the promised professional opportunities.

The investigation was conducted over several years and uncovered linked agencies and photography studios in cities including London, Manchester, Leeds, Bristol, Coventry and Nottingham.

Foster operated the scheme from Spain

Foster ran the operation from Spain while associates in England handled various parts of the business.

The investigation found that the network used multiple company names and photography operations, with money transferred from the UK to Spain.

Foster had previously been associated with Marbella, where authorities believed he had links and could be hiding.

Former Brookside actor

Before becoming the subject of the fraud investigation, Foster had worked as an actor.

He appeared in the Channel 4 soap Brookside during the 1990s, playing Christian Wright.

His previous television career was also noted when he was included in the UK's Most Wanted campaign.

Luxury purchases cited by investigators

National Trading Standards said Foster used proceeds from the operation to fund a luxury lifestyle.

Investigators reported that money from the fraud was used to purchase high-end watches and cars.

The authorities said some of the money was moved through UK bank accounts before being transferred to Spain or carried overseas in cash by associates.

Arrest followed international cooperation

The arrest was carried out by the Guardia Civil following cooperation between Spanish and British law-enforcement authorities.

The National Crime Agency praised its Spanish counterparts for the operation and said the arrest demonstrated the continuing cooperation between the two countries in pursuing fugitives.

The latest Most Wanted campaign is jointly supported by the NCA, Crimestoppers, Spanish authorities and UK policing.

Extradition proceedings now underway

Foster remains in Spain while proceedings to return him to the UK take place.

The NCA confirmed that extradition proceedings are underway, but no further timetable for his return had been announced in its September 18 statement.

More fugitives remain on the list

The May campaign originally featured 12 fugitives believed to be hiding in Spain or to have links to the country.

Several have now been arrested, but others remain wanted.

Crimestoppers continues to accept information anonymously in both the UK and Spain regarding the remaining fugitives.

A long-running UK-Spain operation

The latest arrest forms part of Operation Captura, a long-running cooperation programme targeting British fugitives believed to be in Spain.

The campaign was first launched two decades ago and has developed into a continuing partnership involving British and Spanish law-enforcement agencies as well as Crimestoppers.

For Foster, the operation has now ended his period as a fugitive, but the next stage will be the legal process governing his return to the United Kingdom to begin serving his sentence.