UK Man Stole $1.2M of Tax Money to Fuel Gambling Addiction

A senior finance manager faces a hefty sentence for stealing over £930K of taxpayers’ money to gamble. While the man has no previous convictions, he could spend years in prison for his fraud.

Doig Channeled Huge Sums Toward His Accounts

Alan Doig, 57, served as a senior finance manager at Gedling Borough Council. Between 2003 and 2022, he used a variety of tactics to channel hundreds of thousands of British pounds toward his bank account.

In total, Doig transferred £934,343.30 (approximately $1.2 million) into his account since the start of the fraud. The Nottingham Crown Court understood that this money was used to pay off Doig’s gambling debts. The man was allegedly suffering from gambling addiction, which went unchecked for years.

Doig himself was prepared to go to prison and appeared before the court in a jumper and trousers while holding a large holdall. He pleaded guilty to fraud by abuse of position, admitting that he, as an employee at Gedling Borough Council, transferred £781,009.52 ($1 million) to his account between January 2007 and July 2022.

In addition, Doig pleaded guilty to obtaining a money transfer by deception. Between May 2003 and January 2007, he manipulated Gedling Borough Council’s bank systems to channel an additional £153,333.78 ($202,000) toward his accounts.

Doig Was Granted Bail

Barrister Roger Wilson admitted to court that his client had indeed stolen a huge sum of taxpayers’ money and understood the consequences. However, since Doig had no previous convictions, Wilson argued that he should be given time to sort his affairs before heading to prison.

He is a man with no previous convictions as My Lady knows this was down to a gambling addiction he had where he transferred money from his employer to his own bank account due to debts he had accrued over years.

Roger Wilson

After examining the case, Judge Nirmal Shant agreed to give Doig bail. However, the judge warned that this conditional bail should not be interpreted as an act of leniency, since Doig would still receive a “substantial prison sentence.”

The man’s sentencing is set to take place on October 2.

Elsewhere, a man from Ohio was sentenced to prison for illegal gambling and tax evasion. He received a seven-year sentence, as well as three years of supervised release.