Long jail term
Recorder Stefan Ramel has sentenced gambling addict Neil Harris, 51, to four years in prison following a hearing at Bournemouth Crown Court.
gambling addiction, fondness for luxury vacations
Harris, a financial controller for recruitment firm Caspian One, was found guilty of stealing £1.7m ($2.3m) from his employer to bankroll his sports betting addiction, fondness for luxury vacations, plus a drug and alcohol habit.
Bournemouth Crown Court heard that Harris fraudulently diverted company funds into his personal bank account from 2012 to 2018.
The swindle only came to light when Harris left on vacation and a junior employee at the recruitment firm discovered an unaccounted for £5,544 ($7,638) payment, prompting an investigation.
Descent into addiction
According to the Daily Mail, Harris, desperate to recover his major sports betting losses, made over 100 unauthorized payments as his life “spiraled out of control.”
The court in Dorset heard on Friday that the lion’s share of the money Harris spent on gambling, over £1.5m ($2m), was transacted via his Betfair sports betting account.
Besides his spend on the Flutter-owned sportsbook, Harris also placed multiple smaller bets with Betfred.
“easy meat” for sportsbooks
Defense attorney Rose Burns told the court that Harris was in the grip of an overwhelming gambling addiction that made him “easy meat” for sportsbooks.
According to court documents, Harris also spent £100,000 ($137,691) of the money he stole from Caspian One on luxury vacations and presents for his partner.
Employer strikes back
The professional services company dismissed Harris in August 2018, at the same time accusing him of “fraud by abuse of position.” Caspian One confronted Harris immediately upon his return from his holiday, and he admitted his guilt, stating he’d taken the funds as “individuals were threatening his son and it was done to pay them off.”
In sentencing Harris, Recorder Ramel stated the fraud required “significant planning” over multiple years and the impact of his crime has left his Caspian One colleagues “shocked and betrayed.”
“As it says in the probation report your gambling became addictive and that compelled your behavior,” Ramel added.
