Charity Fraudster Jailed

A businessman who defrauded a charity providing housing to vulnerable people has been jailed.

Paul Campayne, 47, from Coulsdon in Surrey was sentenced to two and a half years in prison at Isleworth Crown Court.

Campayne, who owned two consulting businesses, was found guilty of seven counts of money laundering on Friday 28 January and was sentenced for his crimes this week.

During the three week trial, the jury heard how Campayne owned one business named 'Cappa consultancy' and one named 'Campayne consulting' which were used to give advice to organisations on improving their businesses, buildings and profits - Ujima Housing Association was one of these organisations.

Ujima Housing Association, a not-for-profit organisation, aimed to assist single black and minority ethnic men and women by securing accommodation for them. It regularly housed those who were vulnerable and suffering with mental health issues.

An investigation by the MPS Fraud Squad, which began in 2007, revealed that Campayne was paid £208,000 for consultancy work. This payment was for implementing a new treasury management system and also expanding the organisation's portfolio into the hotel industry. This was a hugely inflated charge for the work that was actually completed.

Further financial enquiries uncovered seven money transfers totalling £160,000, which came from the money the Ujima Housing Association had over-paid him, from Campayne's business bank accounts to a number of other bank accounts. From there the money was either further transferred or taken out in cash by associate's of Campayne in a bid to hide any criminally tainted funds.

Officers from the Fraud Squad arrested Campayne on 19 March 2008 at his home address in Surrey and charged him with seven counts of money laundering under the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA). He was found guilty of all seven charges.

Detective Inspector Lindsay Jarvis of the Fraud Squad, said: "Campayne used criminal methods to take away money that was given in good faith to the Ujima Housing Association to support vulnerable people in London, Reading and Slough. We will now do everything in our power to ensure that we recover any criminal assets Campayne has acquired."

(BMcN)