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Barclays bank ‘insider’ stole £455,000 from Lloyds boss
Paul Cheston19 May 2009
A Barclays “client executive”, who helped steal £455,000 from Lloyds TSB chairman Sir Victor Blank, was jailed for three years today.
The money was siphoned from a premier account the bank chief had opened at his high street rival. It subsequently disappeared without trace, as did a large slice of a further £150,000 belonging to two other customers — including one whose account was raided the day he died.
Southwark crown court heard that Anthony Webster's “betrayal of trust” earned him more than £20,000. The 23-year-old — who worked at Barclays' Premier Bank in Moorgate and was once voted Best Team Player — spent the money on a Mercedes sports car.
Not long after the final £143,000 tranche disappeared from Sir Victor's savings, his personal assistant checked the balance online and found that £455,000 had been moved to other accounts over seven days. Barclays' investigators found bogus transfer request faxes had been used in the theft.
Webster, from Catford, had enjoyed rapid promotion after joining Barclays aged 16. He was convicted of one count of money laundering between 13 February and 18 April 2007.
Recorder Michael Hopmeier told him: “This plainly involved organised criminals and the transfer of funds through different accounts.”
Reader views (2)
Bit like Goodwin!!
- C Cusano, Bedford, 19/05/2009 21:51
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Pot, kettle, black.
- Kate, London, 19/05/2009 16:56
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