“Meticulous investigation” results in jail for charity fraudster

An office manager at a charity has been jailed for three years for stealing £217,000 over nearly eight years. Isabella George stole the money from the Caritas Social Action Network by fraudulently signing then cashing cheques to the tune of £171,000 and using the charity’s credit card to make purchases for her own benefit.

An investigation undertaken by the Economic Crime Team at Essex Police examined hundreds of transactions from 2017 to 2023 to establish the full extent of George’s crimes. As a spokesman for the investigating team said, she falsified company accounts over the course of this time and, faced with the weight of evidence, was forced to confess to having used the accounting system to attribute wrongly purchases, cheques and cash withdrawals to legitimate company projects.

At Basildon Crown Court in March this year, George admitted to charges of fraud by false representation and fraud by abuse of position, which led to a three-year jail sentence at the same court in June. Commenting on the sentencing, a spokesman for the charity said that they now have robust systems in place to ensure that something like this can never happen again.

However, as Roger Isaacs, National Technical Director of NIFA, explains: “Putting strong internal controls in place as early as possible is the best way to prevent fraud.

“Regular checks, clear separation of duties and accurate record-keeping help to identify irregularities before they escalate.

“It is equally important to create an environment where staff feel confident reporting concerns without fear of retaliation.

“While no system can completely eliminate risk, early detection and prompt action significantly reduce potential losses. Charities must be particularly vigilant, as they rely heavily on public trust and funding.”

Sources: Essex Police

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