Pop star Rita Ora among £3.4m fraud victims

This article featured in BBC News: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-northamptonshire-47239152

An accountant has admitted defrauding high-profile clients, including pop star Rita Ora, out of about £3.4m.

Andrew Munday, 37, targeted the former X Factor judge and others, using the money from the fraud to buy houses.

His offences took place while he was employed by now-defunct accountancy firm Blue Cube Business Ltd, police said.

Munday, of Velocette Way, Northampton, pleaded guilty at the town's crown court to nine counts of fraud.

After the case Ora's lawyer Graham Shear, of international legal firm Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner, said a "substantial part" of the money taken from his client had been recovered.

Mr Shear, who is head of international litigation with the firm, described Monday's actions as "pretty disgraceful".

Another victim of the scam was Northamptonshire songwriter VV Brown.

Brown, best known for her 2009 hit single Shark in the Water, said in a statement: "Thank goodness for indemnity insurance.

"It left me in good stead financially despite the crime. I went into this case pregnant. Two years later I came out of this maze pregnant again with my second baby, fighting, fit and alive.

"I am a survivor."

Judge Rupert Mayo remanded Munday in custody and said he would be sentenced after pre-sentence reports had been written.