Former bookkeeper ordered to repay employers just £2,017 of fraud proceeds

Megan Reynolds, 29, who admitted fraud totalling £126,984 against two employers, has been ordered to repay just £2,017 because that was the value of her available assets. She was given a suspended prison sentence last year, and the latest ruling under the Proceeds of Crime Act determines how much of the stolen money can currently be recovered.

While working as a bookkeeper at CSL Power Systems, Reynolds took £78,000 between November 2019 and March 2021, using company cards for personal spending and fabricating invoices to conceal purchases. She later took £18,500 from ATL Retail and obtained a £1,000 loan using her then boyfriend’s details without his knowledge; the court also heard she deleted emails and had told other lies. The £2,017 will be divided among CSL Power Systems, Barclays Bank, Axa Travel Insurance and Lantern Debt Recovery, with CSL receiving £1,229. She must pay within three months or serve three months in prison, and the judge said further confiscation could follow if she later acquires substantial money.