Fraud probe into Unite union employee

South Wales Police have formed a specialist group with HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) officials to investigate allegations against an employee of trade union Unite.

The unnamed employee is accused of bribery, fraud, money laundering and tax evasion.

The police say the specialist group is necessary because of the "seriousness and complexity of the case".

Unite, the UK's second largest union, has carried out its own investigation.

The BBC previously reported that Unite's top official - General Secretary Sharon Graham - ordered a "forensic inquiry" by accountants Grant Thornton into contracts that had been awarded to some of the union's outside suppliers over a number of years.

The current leadership had been concerned about the cost and duration of some contracts that had been awarded before Ms Graham became the union's general secretary in 2021.

The inquiry has been completed but not published because of the possibility that laws had been breached. Its findings were handed over to South Wales police - the relevant force in this case.

The police have now written to the union updating it on its investigation and that letter has been shared with the wider membership.

The police say: "It is suspected that a contracted out service and several affiliated services were awarded on behalf of Unite... in return for personal financial and other rewards."

The police confirm that the union as a whole is not being investigated but one employee within it, and they say they have had good co-operation from Unite.

A Unite source said they were engaging in "the opposite of a cover up".

The police also confirm that the investigation is still in its early stages and that the union will be required to hand over any relevant material to their investigation.