09th May, 2011
A CALCULATING fraudster who stole more than £2.5million while working at the South Harrow headquarters of bookmaker Ladbrokes has been jailed for five years.
Financial adviser Aren De Vos siphoned off six-figure sums from his Imperial Drive-based employer every year since 2002 to fund what police called a “lavish lifestyle”.
The 43-year-old, who joined and competed for Hillingdon Triathletes last year, was eventually caught following an internal investigation by the betting firm that found he had pilfered a total of £2,546,223 – peaking in 2004 when he pocketed £705,000 in a single year.
He stole the money by putting through a total of 64 electronic cheque requisitions into Impact Sport Ltd, a fake company he set up to perpetuate the fraud.
Ladbrokes managers alerted Harrow Police on November 9 last year and he was arrested at his home address two days later, and subsequently charged.
De Vos, of Woodland House, Howards Wood Drive, Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire, admitted 10 counts of theft by employee at Harrow Crown Court on Thursday (Apr 28) and was imprisoned by five years.
He had denied one count of laundering £2.3million under the Proceeds of Crime Act and this was left on file.
Investigating officer, Acting Detective Sergeant Andy Simpson, from Harrow CID, said afterwards: “This investigation was conducted with the assistance of Ladbrokes.
“Research over the previous ten years revealed that De Vos had successfully stolen money totalling over £2.5 million which enabled him to live a lavish lifestyle.
“This was a serious crime conducted in a calculating way and the judge indicated that the sentence of five years would have been longer if De Vos had not been of previous good character.“
A Ladbrokes spokesman said: “We cooperated with the police throughout and are satisfied with the outcome.”
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