A fraudster who stole a council worker’s salary has been found guilty in court, Samuel Anjolaoluwa Omotoba admitted dishonestly retaining a wrongful credit and money laundering, after an email was sent claiming to be a senior member of Slough Borough Council staff to an interim employee in the HR department. The employee was then tricked into arranging for the bank account details to be changed to Mr Omotoba’s account, in preparation for the next payroll run. The fraud was discovered when the senior staff member did not receive their salary as expected.

An investigation by the council’s corporate fraud team - traced the funds to an online bank account held by Omotoba and discovered he had subsequently laundered more than half of the funds, by transferring them to an accomplice who had then left the UK.

Following this incident extra security processes have been put in place in the HR team, and the case was taken to court by the council’s corporate fraud team.

The defence told the court that the offences were not the defendant’s ‘brainchild.’ He was a student at the time and under massive financial pressure. He was vulnerable, used and acted under instructions, but accepts when the money hit his account, he committed the offence.  

Mr Omotoba, formerly of Treasure House, Carver Street, Birmingham, was convicted on 15 November of one charge of dishonestly retaining a wrongful credit, contrary to s24A of the Theft Act 1968 and another of money laundering, contrary to s. 327(a) of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 for his part in a salary diversion fraud. He was sentenced on 24 February to a 12-month community order with 150 hours unpaid work and 10 RAR days and ordered to pay compensation to Slough Borough Council, plus a contribution towards costs of £3,000 and a victim surcharge of £114. 

Cllr Dexter Smith, leader of the council and lead member for improvement and recovery, Governance and HR, said: “In this unusual case a member of the public used deception and dishonesty to receive a staff member’s salary. There was no evidence that he was connected with the council or that he knew any of the staff members who were unwittingly involved.   

“Thanks to the SBC Corporate Fraud Team for investigating this case and their hard work bringing this case to court.”