Insurance Worker's £39K Computer Fraud On Employer

An insurance claims handler, who stole £39,000 from his employer to settle pay-day loans and drug debts, has been jailed for 17 months.

Christian Williams, 22, (pictured) of Stanwell Road, Penarth, Wales snuck into his Newport office in the middle of the night numerous times between August 2012 and January, including twice when he was on sick leave, and used his manager’s computer logon details to make payments to himself.

He re-opened four genuine household insurance claims that had been closed and in which no settlement payment had been made to the claimant.

He then made three fraudulent payments into his ex-partner’s bank account and a further payment into his own bank account.

But Williams came undone in February when his employer noticed two payments had been made to the same bank account and referred the case to the City of London Police’s Insurance Fraud Enforcement Department (IFED).

The same month IFED detectives travelled to Newport and arrested Williams at his office.

In police interview Williams stated he used a majority of the cash to settle pay-day loans and drugs debts before spending the remainder on a car, holidays and other luxuries.

He admitted to stealing his supervisor’s computer logon because he was only able to authorise payments of up to £1,000 whereas managers could sign-off up to £10,000.

He also confessed that he had transferred cash into his ex-partner’s bank account without permission.

Williams pleaded guilty at Cardiff Crown Court to five counts of fraud by abuse of position.

Detective Constable Andy Jackson, who led IFED’s investigation, said: “Williams took the decision that his employer was going to be the one to foot the bill for his pay-day loans and drug debts.

“To do this he concocted a scheme that involved sneaking into his office after dark, stealing his manager’s logon details and siphoning tens of thousands of pounds into his and his ex-partner’s accounts.

“Unfortunately for him, the close checks conducted by his employer swiftly led to decisive action by IFED which today leaves him facing seventeen months behind bars.

“IFED is dedicated to working with the insurance industry to root out fraudsters and put them in front of the courts.”