Operations manager pleads guilty to £200,000 embezzlement

Maria Weir, 62, admitted to Glasgow Sheriff Court to stealing the cash while in her role as as operations manager at Glasgow-based Scottish Intellectual Asset Management between 2005 and 2011.

Weir was placed in a position of trust with unrestricted access to the company bank accounts and used her position to authorise bogus payments to her own bank account.

In total

Weir pleaded guilty to embezzling a total of £199,880.84 from the company with which she also bought bridal wear, concert tickets and groceries.

The court heard Weir created an “intricate system of emails and invoices” to cover her fraudulent money transfers.

The mother used the cash for luxury expenditure including flights to America.

There was also spending at the Metropolitan Bar in Glasgow for a wedding reception in the name of Weir.

Funds were also paid to Catherine’s of Partick which is a store that specialises in bridal wear.

The former boss also abused the company taxi account to the tune of £4,053 for non-work related travel.

Weir, of Baillieston, Glasgow, was only caught after she left the company in 2011 and irregularities were identified after she left the company.

An investigation showed she had purchased concert tickets, flights and hotel on a trip to Boston in America, for herself, her children, her partner and his son.

In March 2011 there were a number transactions at well known tourist attractions in Florida and the payment of internal USA flights when Weir was on holiday in Orlando.

An audit found that on one occasion Weir forged the signature of the company’s managing director in order to make a payment.

Weir, who moved to Germany to work, was arrested on an international warrant in April this year.

None of the money has been recovered.

A confiscation hearing has been set for August and Weir will be sentenced in September.

Sheriff Joanna Johnston said: “You have pleaded guilty to a long complex fraud.

“I will consider all sentencing options.”

Weir, who appeared in the dock in a wheelchair, was granted bail.