A Congo-born charity boss, who pocketed over £20,000 donated to black Sickle-Cell sufferers - while also claiming state handouts - has been locked up for 18 months.
Ngoy Bin Ngoy, 39, of Rowley Gardens, Finsbury Park, founder and chairman of the Sickle-Cell Advice Bureau (SCAB), ripped off the National Lottery, the Home Office and the Scarman Trust, plus other charitable institutions.
He pleaded guilty at Southwark Crown Court to stealing £22,249 from the charity, based in the Lea Valley Industrial Estate, Edmonton, between January 2003 and December 2004.
Instead of funds being paid into the ‘drop-in’ service for Sickle-Cell sufferers he claimed to run, Ngoy used the cash to supplement the benefits he was claiming.
He was arrested in March 2005 and later charged with a string of offences after an investigation by officers from the Economic and Specialist Crime Command.
"There can be no doubt that this is a case which attracts a custodial sentence,” Judge Peter Testar told Ngoy.
"It is important when money is obtained by way of grants for charitable purposes that the public has confidence that the money thereby obtained is not used dishonestly.
"These grants are of great public usefulness and in the right hands can alleviate much suffering."
DC Boydell-Smith said afterwards: "This individual cynically betrayed his position of trust by systematically stealing charitable funds raised in good faith by members of the public.
"Money that should have helped those in need was used instead to fund his own lifestyle.
“Today's sentence sends a strong message to those intent on defrauding charities that they will be unequivocally held to account for their actions."
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