Latest news with #payrollfraud
Times
17-07-2025
- Business
- Times
Council worker who earned £230k juggling four jobs convicted of fraud
A worker who earned more than £230,000 from four jobs at various local authorities has been convicted of fraud. Bryn Howells, from Ebley in Stroud, Gloucestershire, submitted false time sheets, misrepresented his hours to his employers and failed to declare his multiple jobs. Gloucester crown court heard that between February 2022 and June 2023 Howells was employed as strategic housing and enabling officer at Tewkesbury borough council, senior development surveyor at South Gloucestershire council and valuer and estates surveyor at Publica Group — a delivery organisation set up by four other councils. In total he received salaries and other benefits of approximately £236,000, the court heard. It was said that Howells also held a fourth role with another local authority via an agency but this employment was not included in the case. Howells told the court he was not motivated by money or greed but instead a desire to 'work as many hours as possible' to help stretched and understaffed councils lacking in expertise. He claimed that his failure to declare his other employment to each council was an 'unintentional oversight' and the false hours he declared on his time sheets were actually the hours that he was available to work. The prosecution said that Howells had been dishonest and he was aware that he would have faced action if he declared his other jobs. The fraud was uncovered through a review of payroll data by the Tewkesbury borough council's Counter Fraud and Enforcement Unit (CFEU), as part of the Cabinet Office's National Fraud Initiative (NFI). At the time Howells was still employed by Tewkesbury borough council and Publica Group, having recently resigned from South Gloucestershire council. A disciplinary investigation was launched alongside a criminal investigation by the CFEU. Howells was suspended by both remaining employers and later resigned before disciplinary hearings could take place. The crackdown followed an increase in employees working from home since the pandemic creating a surge in those with two or more full-time jobs without their workplaces being aware. In April, the NFI said it had identified 23 cases in preliminary investigations of London boroughs and discovered half a million pounds of overpaid salaries over a period of a few months. Simon Dix, Tewkesbury borough council's executive director of resources, said: 'We are deeply disappointed by Mr Howells's actions, which fell far short of the standards expected of public servants.'By receiving four publicly funded salaries and benefits, Mr Howells's conduct was wholly dishonest and represents a serious breach of trust and misuse of public funds.' Howells is due to be sentenced on August 28. The councils involved are seeking to recover salary and pension and national insurance contributions.
CBS News
01-07-2025
- CBS News
Former Westmoreland County IHOP general manager charged with taking $12K in fake paychecks
The former general manager of an IHOP in Westmoreland County is accused of falsifying payroll records and pocketing more than $12,000. Pennsylvania State Police said the investigation into 45-year-old Aldo Maya Garcia, who was the general manager of the IHOP on Route 30 in Hempfield Township, began in August of last year. Police said financial records turned over to troopers showed that there were more than 20 checks that were suspected of being falsified. Investigators said employees clock in and out through a point-of-sale system in the restaurant, but the fake time entries were created from a remote device using a code. The company told investigators that, as the general manager, Maya Garcia would have access. Troopers said Maya Garcia faked an identity to create an employee who didn't exist. She entered 18 shifts into payroll for that imaginary employee and endorsed them for mobile deposit, police said. She also allegedly entered in several shifts for a worker no longer employed there. During the investigation, troopers said they learned that Maya Garcia was charged in 2023 with similar thefts when she was the general manager of an IHOP in Montgomery County, Ohio. A search warrant executed on financial records showed that the fake checks were deposited into two separate accounts belonging to Maya Garcia, police said. Maya Garcia is charged with theft, identity theft and tampering of records. A warrant is out for her arrest, and police are looking for her. Anyone with information is asked to call state police's Greensburg barracks at 724-832-3288.
