Fingers in the till…

Kate Johns, 39, deputy head of legal at the London office of Japanese bank Tokyo Mitsubishi conned colleagues out of more than £7 million in 2006. She was found guilty in Southwark Crown Court yesterday of using letters of credit to obtain a money transfer by deception and acquiring criminal property.

The fraud was primarily aimed at keeping a failing airline afloat. But Johns also received gifts from the recipient in return which were apparently used to pay for a mortgage, breast implants and other luxury items. The airline, Air Efata, eventually failed however and its president committed suicide.

According to the Times the court was told that Johns, who had worked in the company’s London office for 11 years, had been regarded by colleagues as well respected and hard-working.