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‘Tiger mum’ accused of stealing £5million from Britain’s top sixth-form college ran it like a ‘spider in a web’, court hears
Yasmin Sarwar is on trial accused of helping steal £5 million from Cardiff Sixth Form College, which she and her husband ran as a charity. A member of staff told the court she was central to decision-making at the school, describing her as a “spider in a web”; prosecutors allege the money funded property renovations and a lavish lifestyle.
Her husband, Nadeem Sarwar, has admitted stealing £5 million between 2008 and 2016, while accountant Ragu Sivapalan has pleaded guilty to providing misleading information in an auditor’s report. Staff member Gareth Collier said his suspicions were raised by requests to take expenses from a cash-filled envelope and bank statements showing repeated £25,000 payments to Nadeem. Yasmin denies involvement, and the trial is continuing.
In short
- Yasmin Sarwar denies involvement in an alleged £5 million theft.
- Her husband has admitted stealing £5 million from the college.
- A staff member described her as central to its decisions.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
The prosecution’s case is that Yasmin Sarwar’s central role in the college gave her influence over its finances, and that the staff member’s account and repeated payments to her husband support the allegation that she helped divert charitable funds. The guilty pleas of her husband and the accountant establish serious wrongdoing around the college, though they do not by themselves prove her involvement.
The case against
Sarwar denies taking part, and the evidence described so far includes a staff member’s interpretation of her influence and of financial records, rather than a reported finding that she knowingly helped steal money. A spouse’s admission and an accountant’s guilty plea do not establish her guilt; the jury must decide whether the prosecution can prove her own involvement beyond reasonable doubt.