Finance boss’s wife says legal dispute has left her relying on food banks
Mohammed Asif Khan agreed in 2024 to pay his former employer £500,000 after admitting he owed money in connection with alleged frauds involving about £1.1 million. His wife’s lawyers say the prolonged dispute has left her jobless, in acute financial difficulty and relying on food banks, while the company continues trying to recover the settlement.
North of England Coachworks alleged that Khan used company cheques and transfers for personal spending, including an estimated £160,000 on escorts; £56,000 was said to have gone to one woman. Khan said he was ashamed of using company money but argued his employers had approved what he did. He was later jailed for six months for contempt after pawning a £20,000 Rolex despite a freezing order, with the proceeds going into his wife’s business. The company has now sought information about assets it says may have been transferred to her, but its latest application for an information order against her was unsuccessful.
In short
- Khan agreed to pay his former employer £500,000.
- The company says about £1.1 million was lost.
- His wife’s lawyers say she now relies on food banks.
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The case for
The company can argue that recovering the agreed £500,000 settlement is a matter of accountability and fairness to the business, particularly given Khan’s admission that he owed money and the court’s finding of contempt over the Rolex. If assets may have been transferred to his wife, seeking information through proper legal channels could help establish whether they are available to meet the debt.
The case against
His wife can argue that pursuing her over her husband’s dispute risks imposing serious hardship on someone who was not shown to owe the settlement herself; her lawyers say she has lost work and now relies on food banks. The unsuccessful information-order application also underlines the case for requiring a clear legal basis before compelling her to disclose information or drawing her into further proceedings.
Explained simply
North of England Coachworks is a vehicle repair company that employed Mohammed Asif Khan as its finance director. The company alleged that he used its money for personal spending; Khan admitted owing money but said his employers had approved his actions.
In 2024, Khan agreed to pay the company £500,000. A court later jailed him for contempt after he pawned a watch despite an order freezing his assets. The company has also sought information about assets it believes may have been transferred to Khan’s wife, who was not accused of taking part in the alleged frauds.
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Originally published by Daily Mail as “Wife of finance boss who agreed to pay company £500k after ‘stealing’ £1.1m and spending £160K on escorts is ‘left using food banks’ after his six-year court fight”.