A WORCESTER LGBT group that was caught up in a BBC investigation into immigration claims made by asylum seekers pretending to be gay has permanently closed.
The community support organisation thanked members and supporters as it shut, saying the “harm” caused by the documentary had made it impossible to continue.
Worcester LGBT (Asylum, Support, Network) previously said that it had swiftly removed a community contact who was recorded telling an undercover BBC reporter he could apply for asylum by claiming he was gay.
In secret filming, the reporter tells her he is not gay, to which the woman reassures him that the route is the most successful and begins arranging for him to apply for a visa, including through attending one of the group’s meetings.
Mazedul Hasan Shakil, Worcester LGBT’s founder and chairman, has strongly denied any wrongdoing by himself or his organisation and said that he acted quickly when the concerns raised by the BBC came to his attention.
A message on the group’s website reads: “Worcester LGBT (Asylum, Support, Network)® has permanently closed as of 16 April 2026.
“We thank all members and supporters for their trust in us over the years.”
The BBC’s reporting team discuss their findings in a car (Image: BBC News)
The BBC reporter was contacted out of the blue by the intermediary after he spoke to Mr Shakil.
She admitted faking asylum claims for the last 17 years, with her services costing £2,500, according to the report.
Worcester LGBT categorically denied accusations of fabricating claims, and suspended the contact before carrying out an internal investigation and removing her with immediate effect.
BBC News focused on what the programme-makers describe as a “shadow industry of law firms and advisers” cashing in fake claims by migrants pretending to be gay.
The message announcing the closure of Worcester LGBT (Image: Worcester LGBT)
In a statement, Worcester LGBT said: “The decision was taken because the harm caused by the BBC’s reporting made it impossible for the organisation to continue operating.
“The BBC named Worcester LGBT directly, filmed our members and event attendees covertly at a private community event, and characterised the organisation as part of a shadow industry.
“That characterisation was inaccurate.
“Worcester LGBT was a volunteer-led community support organisation.
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“It did not provide regulated immigration advice and had no commercial relationship with any legal practice.”
A BBC spokesperson said: “Our undercover investigation into immigration advisers uncovered serious wrongdoing which, as we state in our reporting, has a negative impact on the whole asylum system and exploits those seeking asylum for profit.
“There is a clear public interest in reporting abuses of the system and possible illegal activity, and our reporting has prompted a government investigation.”