By Ashley Young-
An alleged £1m fraud at the Police Federation has been referred to prosecutors.
The independent police complain commission( IPCC) have asked the CPS to consider bringing charges against a metropolitan police officier over allegations of a £1m fraudulent transfer of funds. The criminal charges to be considered are against Will Riches, former vice-chair of the federation, who is also a serving Metropolitan police officer. Riches was a trustee of the peelers charity and resigned as vice chair of the federation in March 2016.
The investigation , which commenced in March 2016, is n connection to £1m in Police Federation funds which was transferred to an organisation called the Peelers Charitable Foundation.
Four people were arrested and investigated by the Independent Police Complaints Commission. Three of them were acquitted after it was concluded that they did not have a criminal or disciplinary case to answer. Only Riches has been referred to the CPS, with the investigation concerning the transfer of funds, which happened in August 2015. Riches is listed on documents as trustee of the Peelers charity, although he resigned as vice-chair of the federation in March 2016.
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STATEMENT:
IPCC deputy chair, Sarah Green, said in a released statement: “This has been a complex financial investigation and I have now decided to make a referral to the CPS as our investigation has found that there is an indication that one officer may have committed a criminal offence.
“I am now satisfied we have gathered all the available evidence and it is now for the Crown Prosecution Service to determine whether there is sufficient evidence to commence criminal proceedings.”
“In the IPCC investigator’s opinion, the MPS officer has a case to answer for gross misconduct, and two officers and a retired officer have no case to answer.”
Riches , a constable in the Met for the past 22 years has his hands full with this investigation which could potentially tarnish his reputation and indefinitely destroy his career, starting in east London. Police officers are expected to be full of integrity and too responsible to commit frauduent acts involving money. Thatt’s in an ideal world not as corrupt as this one where officers have on numerous occassions in the past disgraced the uniform they wear by commiting shocking offences.
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The striking thing about the fraud is how the offender could have believed they could launder £1m out of the federation nd expect to escape detection. A poluce officer should hve been acutely aware of the risks involved in laundering such a huge amount of money, but this crime shows that some officers can be as stupid as the worst of criminals.
CRIMINAL
Officers who indulge in criminal behavior are in the minority, and do a lot to stain the image of law abiding and professional officers. Police officers as a whole are believed to be highly prone to criminal conduct that include drugs, although they are more notorious for heavy handedness and cover ups , especially when investigations are carried out. When figures as huge as £1m go missing, all attempts of cover ups are usually destined to fail because of the thoroughness of investigation likely to follow. If Will Riches is eventually found guilty, there will be no hiding place .
In a statement the IPCC said: “A referral to the CPS is made when the IPCC investigation indicates that a criminal offence may have been committed. It does not mean that criminal charges will necessarily follow. The CPS will decide whether charges should be brought, based on the test set out in the code”
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