"A former assistant treasury manager at Chelsea Football Club has avoided jail after defrauding the club of more than 200,000 through false ticket refunds. Claire Walsh, from Chelsea, admitted dishonestly abusing her position to obtain 208,521.65 between 8 June 2019 and 23 October 2023. The 39-year-old was sentenced to two years' imprisonment suspended for 18 months at Isleworth Crown Court. Prosecutor Alex Alawode told the court Walsh had been "creating false refunds for tickets that had not been put onto the exchange site"."
"Chelsea season ticket holders who cannot attend a home game can list their seats for resale on the club's official exchange. Walsh's role involved administering manual refunds. Alawode added: "No tickets existed she was simply creating a refund as if a ticket did exist on the sheet." An investigation revealed an "unusually high number of manual refunds on credit cards established to be in the name of and belonging to the defendant"."
"Sentencing Walsh, Judge Fiona Barrie said: "This is plainly an abuse of trust. "You held a responsible and trusted position in the finance department and were trusted to handle large sums of money, and you used that position to defraud your employer." The judge said the offence was "driven by a desire to help your family who were struggling" and noted Walsh had no previous convictions."
Claire Walsh, an assistant treasury manager at Chelsea Football Club since 2007, fraudulently obtained 208,521.65 by creating false ticket refunds between 8 June 2019 and 23 October 2023. Walsh administered manual refunds for the club's ticket exchange and produced refunds for tickets that never existed. An investigation found an unusually high number of manual refunds linked to credit cards in her name. Walsh resigned when confronted and said she had used the money to support a terminally ill mother and for gifts, trips and holidays. She received a two-year prison sentence suspended for 18 months, with rehabilitation and unpaid work requirements, and no compensation was sought by the club.
Read at www.bbc.com
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