Private Sector

As the pandemic’s aftershocks reverberate through the financial ecosystem, insolvency law specialists are bracing for an overwhelming influx of fraud-based legal cases.

The pandemic required the government to provide fast and extensive support to keep businesses and individuals afloat. However, when schemes are created and implemented at such a pace, they may not be completely airtight from exploitative or fraudulent behaviour.

https://www.scotsman.com/news/opinion/columnists/covid-fraud-aftershocks-continue-to-reverberate-alan-munro-4345131

An HMRC employee has been convicted of claiming her children were disabled and submitting false tax credits to fraudulently steal over £238,000 from her employer.

The hearing, which took place at Newcastle Crown Court, found that Tracy Ashbridge had abused her job as an HMRC employee, working in the area of child tax credit claims, to fraudulently claim large sums of money.

Detectives from Dorset Police’s Economic Crime Unit are carrying out a fraud investigation relating to a property management firm in the BCP area.

Dorset Police has received a number of reports relating to Poole based Initiative Property Management Limited, which mainly operates in the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole areas.

The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has today brought fraud charges against four individuals, including a former director, who oversaw the financial failure of a chain of almost 200 high street bakeries.

The SFO has charged former director and Chief Financial Officer of Patisserie Holdings Plc for 12 years, Christopher Marsh, and his wife, accountant Louise Marsh, as well as Financial Controller Pritesh Mistry and financial consultant Nileshkumar Lad. All four suspects were served with charges at their homes.

The pair from Portsmouth have had their diving qualifications withdrawn following an investigation from the government’s Health and Safety Executive (HSE). They made false claims of diving experience that could have jeopardised their own lives and those of other professionals.

https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/news/two-portsmouth-offshore-divers-banned-104802187.html?soc_src=social-sh&soc_trk=tw&tsrc=twtr

FOUR arrests have made in connection with county grain merchants Alexander Inglis and Son (AIS), which went into administration in 2021.

https://www.eastlothiancourier.com/news/23756353.four-arrests-made-connection-alleged-fraud/

An 83-year-old woman who operated as an illegal loan shark charged her victims 40% interest and sent them threatening text messages.

A jury at Cardiff Crown Court heard how Tabitha Richardson, from Newport, lent a total of £126,000 without a licence.

The court also heard how the pensioner made threats to "come look for them" when payments were missed.

A TSB fraud worker used his position to defraud the bank of almost £90,000 to fund a gambling and cocaine habit.

Benjamin Hannington, an assistant manager in TSB's fraud operations department, transferred large sums to himself under the guise of them being customer refunds.

The former boss of the Co-operative Bank has been charged with fraud.

Paul Flowers, 73, will appear before Manchester Magistrates Court charged with one count of fraud by abuse of position between June 2016 and October 2017.

An Edinburgh office manager has been jailed for committing £900,000 worth of company fraud.

Emma Hunt obtained more than £900,000 through embezzlement and fraud while she was working as the office manager of an Edinburgh property firm.

https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/23744601.edinburgh-property-company-manager-jailed-fraud-embezzlement/