Scottish fraudster architect hit with £700k repayment order

Scottish fraudster architect hit with £700k repayment order

A trustee who embezzled hundreds of thousands from a charity has been ordered to pay back £700,000 in profit.

Ian Brash, from Wallyford, East Lothian, admitted embezzling £358,832 from the Dr Robert Malcolm Trust between August 2010 and September 2014.

The 68-year-old invested the money in shares, using the profit to make mortgage and credit card payments, pay vet bills, install a wind turbine, and as deposits on cars and a number of buy-to-let properties for him and his family.

At Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Wednesday December 30, he was made subject to a confiscation order worth £700,000.



Mr Brash has already paid back £320,753.30 to the charity and will have to pay them a further £198,590.60 in full recompense, as well as an additional £180,656.10 to the Court which will be utilised towards the Scottish Government Cash Back for Communities Schemes

Mr Brash was also handed an additional £140,000 fine on top of the Confiscation Order. Sentencing had been deferred while the Proceeds of Crime action was settled.

Jennifer Harrower, Procurator Fiscal for Specialist Casework, said: “Ian Brash was in a position of trust and responsibility with this charity and he took advantage of that to embezzle a significant amount of money. His deception diverted that money away from charity and into his own bank account to help fund his lifestyle.

“We take such criminality seriously and will use all powers available to us, not only to prosecute, but also to confiscate the profits of crime from those who do not deserve them.

“Over half a million pounds of the confiscated money will be paid back to the Dr Robert Malcolm Trust.”

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