The former Assistant Treasury Manager at Chelsea FC has admitted dishonestly abusing her position to obtain £208,521.65 for herself between 8 June 2019 and 23 October 2023. Claire Walsh pleaded guilty to the charge of fraud by abuse of position and almost certainly faces a hefty prison sentence when the case goes to the Crown Court next year.
Speaking at the Magistrates Court where the case started out, the prosecution told Walsh that the sum involved in the fraud exceeded the Court’s power in terms of sentencing, which is why she will appear at Isleworth Crown Court, at a date yet to be decided.
According to the prosecution, the amount of money involved took the case into the “A” bracket, meaning it carries the starting point of five years imprisonment, with a range of three to six years.
Roger Isaacs, Forensics Partner at Milsted Langdon, said that fraud by abuse of position is considered a serious criminal offence, carrying a maximum potential prison sentence of 10 years.
He adds, “In cases such as the Chelsea FC matter, the Court will look closely at how offenders used their roles to gain access to funds and the extent to which they personally benefitted. That benefit is a key factor in both sentencing and any confiscation proceedings that may follow.
“What we often see is that once the financial trail is examined in detail, patterns of behaviour emerge that could not have occurred without the offender being in a trusted position with financial responsibility. This emphasises how vulnerable even the largest organisations can be when an individual is able to operate without sufficient scrutiny. A forensic review after the event can establish exactly how the money was taken and over what period, but by then the damage has likely already been done.”
Roger added that to avoid becoming the next victim of fraud, businesses need strong internal controls and proper financial monitoring.
“They can help themselves by engaging professional advisers who have experience of investigating every type of fraud and can use this knowledge to design appropriate fraud prevention safeguards for their organisation.”
Sources: BBC News