Man stole £81k from company for house deposit

Muhammad Shafiq put the money towards a deposit on a house and to a new car loan

A man has been sentenced for defrauding his employer of £81,000 to partly pay for a house deposit and a car loan.

Muhammad Shafiq, 33, held a financial role at a media company in Bristol where he transferred the money to his own bank account and then to a company he set up.

Shafiq, of Wells Road in Bristol, received a 16-month prison sentence suspended for 12 months and was ordered to carry out 100 hours' unpaid work after pleading guilty to one count of fraud by abuse of position.

Bristol Crown Court was told on Thursday that Shafiq has since paid back the money.

'Not victimless'

Shafiq stole approximately £81,000 from his employer over an 18-month period between January 2020 and June 2021.

Avon and Somerset PC Andrew Smetham said Shafiq's actions cost the company around £40,000 due to its own expenses and "rectifying the losses they incurred".

He said: “Fraud is not a victimless crime.

“This conviction shows we will pursue fraudsters and seek to bring them before the courts for their crimes.

“We are now considering an application under the Proceeds of Crime Act to obtain any profit Shafiq made as a result of his offending.”