Two men charged over £2.6m Guernsey States fraud

Guernsey Police have named the two men charged in connection with the defrauding of the States of £2.6m.

They are 56-year-old John Anthony Woodhatch from Buckhurst Hill in Essex and 44-year-old Adrian Taylor, also known as Charlie Taylor, from Knightsbridge in London.

The two men are charged with conspiracy to defraud and money laundering.

They were bailed and are due to appear in the City of London Magistrates Court on 9 January.

The money was paid out in July 2012 to someone who successfully posed as a major government contractor.

A letter purporting to be from Lagan Construction, the main company behind the £80m airport refurbishment project, with a change of bank account details was sent to Guernsey's Treasury Department.

A single payment due to the contractor was paid into this account instead.

Guernsey and City of London Police have worked jointly on the investigation.

The case is being heard in London as that is where the alleged offence took place.