Legal News
Former Lloyds Bank head of fraud and security for digital banking has been charged with defrauding the bank of £2.46m (25 May 2012)
Date: 25/05/2012
Jessica Harper the former head of fraud and security for digital banking at Lloyds Banking Group has been charged with a fraud to the tune of £2.46m.
She has been accused of claiming the money by submitting false invoices which she was not entitled to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said. The CPS has authorised the Metropolitan Police to frame charges against her for a single count of fraud.
The charges relate to allegations of fraud between September 1, 2008 and December 21, 2011.
State owns 41 percent of the bank’s shares after the government had rescued the bank with £20bn during the financial crisis with the first bail out coming shortly when the alleged fraud had started in October 2008.
As the head of fraud and security for digital banking, Ms Harper a senior manager a four or five rung lower ranked down from the executive board would have been on £100,000 pay check.
Andrew Penhale, deputy head of the CPS Central Fraud Group said that Jessica Harper had fraudulently and with the intention of making a gain for herself, made use of her position as an employee of Lloyds Banking Group, where she was supposed to safeguard the interests of the Bank.
He added that the CPS was firm on their beliefs that there was a reasonable chance of conviction and hence a prosecution was in the public interest.
She is to appear at the Westminster Magistrates’ Court next Thursday. Lloyds declined to comment citing the case was sub-judice.