A finance assistant from Manchester was sentenced to three years in jail after pleading guilty stealing GBP 508,000 from her employer.
Charlotte Darwen, 26, was hired by the company in 2007 and has since made a total 352 payments to herself with fraudulent invoices to live the high life and gamble online.
In addition to the hundreds of thousands spend on gambling, Darwen spent the stolen cash on celebrity events, concerts, overseas holidays, cosmetic surgery, a car and a GBP 48,000 deposit on a new home.
At one time the company had approximately 300 employees and due to the fraud they’ve been required to cut back by nearly half.
Judge Maurice Greene told Darwen: "You got involved in a spiral of gambling, stealing money then using it and getting into more debt. Both you and this company have suffered as a result.
"What you did has had an almost devastating effect on this company, members of the company, staff - people who trusted you."
A police investigator told the press: "While it is true she spent a considerable amount on gambling websites, her addiction was by no means restricted to games of chance. She was also clearly addicted to what you might call retail therapy."
jade
9 years ago
We hear/read about these types of situations regularly in the news. You might say that it is a sign of the times. Many people around the world would have loved to just have had her job, a job, any job. But this is putting your job at risk on a totally different level. Stealing to the point that other people lose their jobs...
We hear/read about these types of situations regularly in the news. You might say that it is a sign of the times. Many people around the world would have loved to just have had her job, a job, any job. But this is putting your job at risk on a totally different level. Stealing to the point that other people lose their jobs or the company can't anybody because of a lose you created by you. I am always surprised to hear what sentence was given. It doesn't seem to be equal to the crime. How can she make it up to people that she doesn't even know.
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Dominic Horsley 9 years ago
Poor girl, she must have a real, real problem. She must have thought at some point that it was never going to end well though..
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mimi190 9 years ago
Wow very sad
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yapro123 9 years ago
She probably addicted to gambling, and should get some help from some organisation. But stoling is a crime, so i am interesting did she go to jail or no?
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ethereal
9 years ago
@skrunici, I agree with the first part of what you said - whenever I see these stories, that is my first thought. i think I mostly gamble in the hopes of winning a few hundred thousand one day, if I already had it, i wouldn't gamble!
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pasty
9 years ago
Lots of money.. too bad this isn't something you can control over night. Been there, done that.. but you need to do it in time, slowly. Healing/Recovering from a certain addiction takes a lot of effort and will. The biggest issue is that she had all the money right under her nose and that's why she kept on doing it. P.S...
Lots of money.. too bad this isn't something you can control over night. Been there, done that.. but you need to do it in time, slowly. Healing/Recovering from a certain addiction takes a lot of effort and will. The biggest issue is that she had all the money right under her nose and that's why she kept on doing it. P.S : jodii, that's a great irony with the book, lol.
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jodiisgreat
9 years ago
Wow that is LOTS of money, and she will probably never find a decent job again! But I'm sure you can purchase her book for 19.95 in a few months.
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Cat50
9 years ago
That was a lot of money but i would never dream of stealing. I know how it feels for someone to take something from someone else. Now if i happen to hit the lottery.... Thats another story.
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skrunici 9 years ago
Now I think, if I have half million why I need to gamble :D I mean I will dissapier with that money and enjoy in my laif... but I will never have that kond of problem, becouse I don't have place where I can steal that kind of money :D
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MerengueBG
9 years ago
This unfortunately is a disease. Gambling addiction remains practically forever and in many cases is stronger than addiction to drugs. This is probably the worst addiction, it affects our mind more than the body.
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Cat50
9 years ago
Prime example of a gambling addict. Gambling can easily get out of control if you let it.Maybe he should have ordered some classes when she gets out.
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