Camden Council crack cycle fraud
Date: 25/08/06
Camden Council has exposed a £60,000 conspiracy involving money aimed at improving the London Cycle Network. The council's Internal Audit Investigation Team and managers from the Culture and Environment Department together uncovered financial irregularities in 2005 involving the distribution of this money. Following an internal investigation the council alerted the police, which resulted in the arrest and subsequent prosecution of three men.
On Monday 21 August 2006, after a week long trial at Snaresbrook Crown Court, Arthur Finlay (54), a Chartered Accountant, was found guilty of conspiracy to defraud through the invoicing for non-existent work. Camden Council staff also gave vital evidence that helped ensure Mr Finlay's conviction.
Â
Two other men had already pleaded guilty to the conspiracy. Festus Agwu Jones (53) a former Camden Council employee working in the Culture & Environment Department pleaded guilty when charged on 17 March 2006. Edgar Georgestone of Edgestone Trading Corporation Ltd pleaded guilty at the start of the trial. The three are due to appear in court on 6 October for sentencing.
Cllr Keith Moffitt, Leader of Camden Council, said: "This trial should act as a warning to those who think that it is acceptable to steal public money. Camden Council will do whatever it can to prevent and uncover fraud and we constantly review the systems we have in place. And if we find fraud, of any kind, we will always take the toughest possible action against those responsible. We are now working to recover any fraudulently taken money from those who are guilty of this crime.
"It was also particularly disappointing to see that this case involved a council employee and we will push for the judge to deliver the strongest sentence available. Finally I would like to thank DS Ian Mackichan and his team from the Financial Investigation Unit at Holborn Police Station who led the police investigation for his assistance in the successful prosecution."
Notes to Editor
Camden Council was managing the money to improve the London Cycle Network on behalf of Transport for London.
Ref Code: 06/261 Â 020 7974 5717
Contact:
Page last updated Sep 1, 2006 10:05 AM
Contact Camden 020 7974 4444