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| Lloyds anti-fraud boss jailed for £2.5m fraud | Lloyds anti-fraud boss jailed for £2.5m fraud |
| (10 days later) | |
| A former head of online security at Lloyds Banking Group has been jailed for five years after defrauding the company of almost £2.5m. | A former head of online security at Lloyds Banking Group has been jailed for five years after defrauding the company of almost £2.5m. |
| Jessica Harper, 50, whose £60,000-a-year role included fighting fraud, submitted 93 false and doctored invoices to pay herself a total of £2,463,750, which she then gave to friends and her three brothers to allow them to buy property. | Jessica Harper, 50, whose £60,000-a-year role included fighting fraud, submitted 93 false and doctored invoices to pay herself a total of £2,463,750, which she then gave to friends and her three brothers to allow them to buy property. |
| The fraud took place during the financial crisis, when Lloyds received substantial amounts of taxpayers' money. She stole the money over four years by creating a dummy bank account in the name of an IT firm that carried out work for the bank. | The fraud took place during the financial crisis, when Lloyds received substantial amounts of taxpayers' money. She stole the money over four years by creating a dummy bank account in the name of an IT firm that carried out work for the bank. |
| Southwark crown court heard that Harper told police she deserved the money for showing loyalty to the firm when she could earn four times as much elsewhere, but denied personally benefiting from the fraud. She said she worked 60 hours a week for two years in two jobs, first as a senior manager for third-party suppliers and then additionally as interim head of fraud and security. | Southwark crown court heard that Harper told police she deserved the money for showing loyalty to the firm when she could earn four times as much elsewhere, but denied personally benefiting from the fraud. She said she worked 60 hours a week for two years in two jobs, first as a senior manager for third-party suppliers and then additionally as interim head of fraud and security. |
| The judge, Deborah Taylor, told Harper: "You were a senior employee in the bank in a position with a high degree of trust at a time when Lloyds was substantially supported by a lot of taxpayers' money following difficulties sustained by the bank in the financial crisis. You disregarded your duties out of a sense of entitlement to take other people's money for your own benefit and that of your family." | The judge, Deborah Taylor, told Harper: "You were a senior employee in the bank in a position with a high degree of trust at a time when Lloyds was substantially supported by a lot of taxpayers' money following difficulties sustained by the bank in the financial crisis. You disregarded your duties out of a sense of entitlement to take other people's money for your own benefit and that of your family." |
| Harper, of Croydon, south London, had previously pleaded guilty to a single charge of fraud by abuse of position and a second charge of money laundering, both between 28 December 2007 and 21 December last year. | Harper, of Croydon, south London, had previously pleaded guilty to a single charge of fraud by abuse of position and a second charge of money laundering, both between 28 December 2007 and 21 December last year. |
| Antony Swift, prosecuting, told the court that Harper made several payments to friends and family to buy property used for rental income and additional holiday income. | Antony Swift, prosecuting, told the court that Harper made several payments to friends and family to buy property used for rental income and additional holiday income. |
| She admitted her crimes to police, telling officers: "I saw the opportunity and thought, given the hours I work, I deserve it. If I went to work for another company I would probably be earning four times as much." | She admitted her crimes to police, telling officers: "I saw the opportunity and thought, given the hours I work, I deserve it. If I went to work for another company I would probably be earning four times as much." |
| But Swift said: "The reality is that over four years she continued to work for the bank and fleeced them of £2,463,750.88p. She would not have been paid that kind of salary over that period by another bank." | But Swift said: "The reality is that over four years she continued to work for the bank and fleeced them of £2,463,750.88p. She would not have been paid that kind of salary over that period by another bank." |
| Harper used a bank account set up in the name of the software firm ISB Ltd, but which was really her own, and doctored and made up invoices and emails to pay herself large sums, the court heard. | Harper used a bank account set up in the name of the software firm ISB Ltd, but which was really her own, and doctored and made up invoices and emails to pay herself large sums, the court heard. |
| She knew ISB's managing director, Simon Sutcliffe, socially and had helped the firm win work with Lloyds. The court heard that when Sutcliffe asked her to looking into problems over payment receipts she lied and told him they had been resolved. The innocent firm was now facing the prospect of losing its work with the bank. | She knew ISB's managing director, Simon Sutcliffe, socially and had helped the firm win work with Lloyds. The court heard that when Sutcliffe asked her to looking into problems over payment receipts she lied and told him they had been resolved. The innocent firm was now facing the prospect of losing its work with the bank. |
| Carol Hawley, defending Harper, said her client had a solid work ethic and a long history of charity fundraising. "She still today struggles to explain the reason behind her behaviour," she said. | Carol Hawley, defending Harper, said her client had a solid work ethic and a long history of charity fundraising. "She still today struggles to explain the reason behind her behaviour," she said. |
| The judge replied: "She gave an explanation at the time to police that she felt entitled to the money she was given." She rejected Harper's claims of stress caused by two jobs, saying: "These were roles in which you were expected to show the highest levels of probity." | The judge replied: "She gave an explanation at the time to police that she felt entitled to the money she was given." She rejected Harper's claims of stress caused by two jobs, saying: "These were roles in which you were expected to show the highest levels of probity." |
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