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This page contains press release 28/04, in which the MPA announces the Internal Audit Directorate secures successful fraud prosecution.
Warning: This is archived material and may be out of date. The Metropolitan Police Authority has been replaced by the Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime (MOPC).
See the MOPC website for further information.
MPA Internal Audit Directorate secures successful fraud prosecution
28/04
02 April 2004
Work undertaken by the Forensic Audit Branch of the Metropolitan Police Authority Internal Audit Directorate has led to the successful prosecution of a self-employed interpreter engaged by the Metropolitan Police Service.
Teresa Markovitch was convicted at Southwark Crown Court on Friday 12 March of nine counts of false accounting arising from claims made for services that she had not provided. She was sentenced today, Friday 2 April 2004, to three months suspended sentence on each of the nine counts to run concurrently and ordered to pay £2000 costs and £2000 towards legal aid. No compensation order was made.
Peter Tickner, Director of Internal Audit said:
“Teresa Markovitch was found by the Forensic Audit Branch of MPA Internal Audit to be falsely claiming for interpretation and translation work that had not taken place.
“Our findings were passed on to the MPS’ Directorate of Professional Standards (DPS). The subsequent criminal investigation by detectives from the unit revealed Miss Markovitch was working in France whilst at the same time submitting false claims to the MPS for work she had not done.
“Since this Internal Audit review, the systems for checking claims by interpreters have been tightened up.
“We hope that this case sends out a clear message that we will make every effort to ensure that public funds are not misappropriated within the MPS.“
DS Graham Rouse from the DPS added:
“This was a clear case of theft. The MPS is determined to act on any information suggesting that anyone connected to the organisation is involved in taking money that would otherwise be spent on other vital policing services.”
The amount involved in the nine counts was in region of £5,000. Prior to Miss Markovitch being charged the MPA commenced civil proceedings to reclaim £226,000 from her that they allege was obtained by the submission of false claims. Those proceedings were adjourned pending the criminal trial.
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