MPA – successful civil action for fraud recovers £240,000

89/04
1 December 2004

The Metropolitan Police Authority has agreed an out of court settlement securing the repayment of £240,000 of falsely claimed fees from a linguist formerly used by the Metropolitan Police Service.

Following an investigation by the MPA Internal Audit in 2002, records relating to several linguists were passed to MPS Directorate of Professional Standards for criminal inquiry. To date this has resulted in the successful prosecution and conviction of two linguists for making fraudulent claims. A third linguist has been committed to the Crown Court for trial. Three further linguists are no longer eligible to work for the MPS. The MPA will be taking further civil action to recover fraudulently obtained funds in these cases.

Inherent weaknesses in MPS systems that enabled such a large fraud to be committed were first highlighted by an Internal Audit report in 1998. Although its recommendations were agreed by the MPS many were not implemented and significant weaknesses continued. The MPS has now taken significant steps to improve controls in the system for paying linguists.

Peter Tickner, Director of Internal Audit, said:

“The MPA expects that its employees, and those who supply services under contract, are honest and make genuine claims for financial recompense. However, if an individual does make fraudulent claims our message is clear – we have highly trained staff who will discover the anomalies and they will be caught and prosecuted. We will vigorously pursue anyone who makes fraudulent claims through the civil courts.”

Notes to editors

1. Internal Audit, originally an internal Directorate within the MPS, was incorporated into the MPA at the Authority’s inauguration in July 2000.

2. Internal Audit helps to improve the way the MPS runs its internal business. It provides an independent and objective evaluation aiming to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the MPS, while also ensuring that systems are secure and safe against corruption. Internal Audit has an investigative section, the Forensic Audit Branch, staffed with experienced investigators, who carry out searching reviews of the MPS. Internal Audit staff are professionally trained and operate under the standards laid down by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy and the Institute of Internal Auditors UK and Ireland.

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