Latest news with #YasminSarwar
Wales Online
13-05-2025
- Wales Online
Couple deny defrauding top Welsh school out of millions of pounds
Couple deny defrauding top Welsh school out of millions of pounds Nadeem Sarwar and Nadeem Sarwar are accused of using money from the school to buy and renovate a property in a leafy Cardiff suburb Nadeem Sarwar, 49, pictured, and Yasmin Sarwar, 43, have been charged with multiple theft and fraud offences against Cardiff Sixth Form College (Image: WALES NEWS SERVICE ) A husband and wife have denied defrauding Britain's top school for A-level results out of more than £5million from its charity fund. Yasmin Sarwar, 43, and husband Nadeem Sarwar, 49, have been charged with multiple theft and fraud offences against Cardiff Sixth Form College. Yasmin Sarwar became head of the college's charity and it rose to rank above illustrious Rugby and Marlborough schools with pupils travelling all over world to take top A-levels. Cardiff Court Court heard the couple allegedly used over £496,000 from the school to buy a property in a leafy suburb of the Welsh capital while also using more funds for refurnishing. They are also accused of transferring hundreds of thousands of pounds into different bank accounts and possessing criminal property relating to £4,100,000 of student fees between 2012 and 2016. Don't miss a court report by signing up to our crime newsletter here . At the time they were charged police said a probe into the college had been jointly carried out with the Charity Commission. Yasmin Sarwar, of Cyncoed, Cardiff, pleaded not guilty to fraud, two counts of theft, two counts of fraudulent trading, possessing criminal property and three counts of transferring criminal property. Nadeem Sarwar, of Pentwyn, Cardiff, pleaded not guilty to fraud, three counts of theft and five counts of possessing criminal property. Ragu Sivapalan, 40, from Penylan, Cardiff denied false accounting between 2013 and 2016. Article continues below Judge Tracey Lloyd Clarke set a trial date for September 1 next year. Nadeem Sarwar pictured leaving court (Image: WALES NEWS SERVICE ) Mother-of-one Yasmin Sarwar moved from Malaysia to Britain to study for her own A-levels when she was just 17. At the time her school was named the best in Britain for A-level results, she said: "I am a mother to the students. "I want to make a difference in their lives and them to then make a difference in other people's lives. "To create that difference in someone else's life you need to create that trust - and say I am here for you because I care." Article continues below After graduating with a Biochemistry degree from Cardiff University Sarwar started posting fliers offering her tutoring services for science classes to A-levels. Get daily breaking news updates on your phone by joining our WhatsApp community here .
Daily Mail
13-05-2025
- Daily Mail
'Tiger mum' accused of defrauding Britain's top A-level private school out of £5m appears in court
A husband and wife have appeared in court accused of defrauding Britain's top school for A-level results out of more than £5million from its charity fund. Yasmin Sarwar, 43, from Cyncoed, opened Cardiff Sixth Form College in 2004 and claims to have 'helped over 800 students' gain admission into some of the UK's most illustrious universities. But there were said to have been irregularities in the school's finances between 2012 and 2016 - leading South Wales Police to launch an official investigation. It led to the self-confessed 'Tiger Mum' and her husband Nadeem Sarwar, 49, being charged with multiple theft and fraud offences against the school. Ms Sarwar became head of the college's charity - and it rose to rank above illustrious Rugby and Marlborough schools with pupils travelling all over world to take top A-levels. Cardiff Court Court heard the couple allegedly used over £496,000 from the school to buy a property in a leafy suburb of the Welsh capital while also using more funds for refurnishing. They are also accused of transferring hundreds of thousands of pounds into different bank accounts and possessing criminal property relating to £4,100,000 of student fees between 2012 and 2016. At the time they were charged, police said a probe into the college had been jointly carried out with the Charity Commission. Ragu Sivapalan, 40, from Penylan, Cardiff denied false accounting between 2013 and 2016. Ms Sarwar, of Cyncoed, Cardiff, pleaded not guilty to fraud, two counts of theft, two counts of fraudulent trading, possessing criminal property and three counts of transferring criminal property. Mr Sarwar, of Pentwyn, Cardiff, pleaded not guilty to fraud, three counts of theft and five counts of possessing criminal property. A third person - Ragu Sivapalan, 40, from Penylan, Cardiff - denied false accounting between 2013 and 2016. Judge Tracey Lloyd Clarke set a trial date for September 1 next year. Mother-of-one Ms Sarwar moved from Malaysia to Britain to study for her own A-levels when she was just 17. At the time her school was named the best in Britain for A-level results, she said: 'I am a mother to the students. 'I want to make a difference in their lives and them to then make a difference in other people's lives. 'To create that difference in someone else's life you need to create that trust - and say I am here for you because I care.' After graduating with a Biochemistry degree from Cardiff University Mrs Sarwar started posting fliers offering her tutoring services for science classes to A-levels. Ten years later she launched what would go on to be the UK's top performing fee-paying school where 95 per cent of pupils achieved A-A* in their A-levels last year. She later said parents see her as a 'mother figure' and 'somebody they can trust with their children'. Cardiff Sixth Form College has more than 300 students on its register and attracts children from all around the world, including Albania and China. Fees at the school were £15,000 per year for day pupils while international boarding students can pay up to £26,000 each year. A South Wales Police spokesperson said: 'Cardiff Sixth Form College has since changed hands. 'Since the sale of the College the charity changed its name to Cardiff Educational Endowment Trust - 1123262 and is now operating as a grant making charity.'
BBC News
13-05-2025
- BBC News
Cardiff Sixth Form College: Trial set in £5m fraud case
Three people have appeared in court charged with fraud and other offences in connection with an alleged £5m theft at a leading sixth form in Wales. Nadeem Sarwar, 48, from Pentwyn, Cardiff, pleaded not guilty to nine fraud and theft offences totalling more than £5m while Yasmin Sarwar, from Cyncoed, Cardiff, pleaded not guilty to all nine charges against Sivapalan, 39, from Penylan, pleaded not guilty to a charge of false accounting between January 2013 and July 2016. All three were directors or trustees at the independent Cardiff Sixth Form College. Their trial was set for 1 September 2026 and all three were released on bail.
