A former manager at an organisation set up to help Hepatitis C sufferers was jailed for five years today at Basildon Crown Court.
Keith Foster, 49, from Billericay in Essex, defrauded the Skipton Fund of £400,000 by inventing patients to receive a £20,000 award, and paying the money into his own bank accounts.
Suspicions received by the NHS Counter Fraud and Security Management Service (NHS CFSMS) in January 2006 led to the discovery of a similar investigation by Essex Police involving Mr Foster and his previous employer – the British Association of Hand Therapists (BAHT). Essex Police discovered he had stolen £200,000 from the BAHT and used the money he stole from the Skipton Fund to repay them.
Mr Foster was arrested by Essex Police and later charged with 34 counts of obtaining money transfer by deception. He pleaded guilty to all charges on January 30, 2007 at Basildon Crown Court. He worked at the BAHT between 1998 and June 2004 and the Skipton Fund between July 2004 and November 2005. The BAHT has repaid the Skipton Fund £224,798, the amount Mr Foster stole from the Skipton Fund to repay them.
What they say
Richard Hampton, Deputy Managing Director of the NHS CFSMS, said: “Keith Foster abused his position of trust and responsibility to steal from his employers. He stole money meant for people with life-threatening illnesses. We are pleased with today’s result and hope it sends a message to others who think they can steal taxpayers’ money. You will get caught and you will face tough punishment.
“On the advice of the NHS Counter Fraud Service, the Skipton Fund has already taken action to close the loopholes that allowed this fraud to occur. The money Foster defrauded to repay the British Association of Hand Therapists has been returned to the Skipton Fund.”
