One of Rita Ora’s companies was a client of Blue Cube Business
An accountant who defrauded celebrity clients including Rita Ora, Matt Dawson and Martin Bayfield has been jailed.
Andrew Munday, 38, used money from the fraud, totalling at least £3.35m, to buy houses, Star Wars memorabilia, and an executive lounge membership at Tottenham Hotspur.
Munday, of Earls Close in Northampton, admitted nine counts of fraud.
Prosecutor Simon Davis told Northampton Crown Court he “had been living a lie” to fund a lavish lifestyle.
Munday was jailed for five years and eight months.
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Northamptonshire Police
One of the houses bought by Andrew Munday later sold for £825,000
The business where he worked at the time, Blue Cube Business, has since stopped trading.
As well as buying houses, he also bought football memorabilia, and designer jewellery.
In a victim statement, the singer VV Brown said Munday had “ruined a lot of people’s lives” and left “deep scars” in relation to trust.
Munday caused a loss to former X Factor judge Ora’s company of nearly £2.4m during the fraud campaign spanning seven years, the court heard.
He had previously been declared bankrupt after building up gambling debts.
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Northamptonshire Police
A signed Paul Gascoigne shirt was amongst the football memorabilia bought by Munday
Nigel Edwards QC, defending, said a “severe gambling disorder” was the “principal driver” of Munday’s actions but he had done his “level best” to turn his life around.
Speaking after sentencing, Det Sgt Richard Barnett, from Northamptonshire Police, said: “Munday abused his position of trust, which has caused significant financial and emotional harm to all of the victims.”
Former England and Northampton Saints rugby players Martin Bayfield (left) and Matt Dawson were among Munday’s victims