A SHAMELESS “broke” finance worker who stole almost £92,000 from a breast cancer charity to pay for his wedding and honeymoon has been jailed.
Tameem Choudhury, 29, “exploited” his role at Breast Cancer Now to redirect a payment intended for the charity to his own bank account.
A shameless finance worker stole almost £92,000 from a breast cancer charity to pay for his wedding and honeymoon Credit: Central News
Tameem Choudhury, 29, also splashed out on luxury items including a £14,000 ring Credit: City of London Police
Choudhury, of Hackney, north London, was jailed for two and a half years at the Royal Courts of Justice on Tuesday after pleading guilty to fraud and money laundering offences.
In August 2023, Choudhury, who worked in the charity’s finance team, intercepted a refund payment of £91,966.72 from The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust.
Sign up for The Jattvibe newsletter
Thank you!
Using his work email account, Choudhury sent the trust the details of his personal bank account, on Breast Cancer Now headed paper, according to City of London Police.
Within weeks of receiving the payment, he used the stolen money to fund his wedding and honeymoon expenses.
BLAZE BATTLE
Huge fire near homes as locals told to close windows & ‘explosions’ heard
SLAVE HORROR
Thug kept slave he called ‘Scrapyard Dog’ in dirty shed for 3yrs to steal £63k
Choudhury pleaded guilty to fraud and money laundering offences at the Royal Courts of Justice Credit: Getty
Choudhury was jailed for two and a half years Credit: PA
He also purchased luxury items – including an Alexander Brown ring worth £14,000 – paid off his personal debts and withdrew cash, the force added.
Detective Constable Yusuf Meerza, of the fraud operations team at the City of London Police, said Choudhury “abused a position of trust” within the charity.
Dc Meerza added: “The generosity of donors enables charities such as Breast Cancer Now to support vital research and provide help to those affected by breast cancer.
“Choudhury’s actions betrayed that trust and placed charitable funds at risk for his own personal gain.”
In messages found on Choudhury’s phone during the police investigation, he described himself as “borderline broke” shortly before committing the offences, the force said.
Police also found evidence linking the stolen cash to payments Choudhury made to debt collection agencies, plane tickets to Qatar and transfers to relatives.
Some £42,866 was recovered from Choudhury’s account after it was frozen by his bank when suspicious activity was detected.
Choudhury was arrested in June last year after Breast Cancer Now reported him to the police.
A spokesperson for the charity said it takes the matter “extremely seriously” and has conducted a “thorough review” of its processes.
The spokesperson added: “People affected by breast cancer are at the heart of all we do.
“Through life-saving research, life-changing support and change-making campaigns, we’re changing the future of breast cancer, and we’re committed to upholding the highest standards to ensure all funds so generously donated to the charity help those affected by this devastating disease, as intended.
“Funds have been recovered and the charity has not experienced any financial loss.”
Launched in 2015, Breast Cancer Now funds research into the disease, and offers sufferers opportunities to speak to specialist nurses, join support groups and access help and resources.
With the King as its royal patron, the charity has high-profile supporters, including broadcasters Lisa Snowdon and Julia Bradbury – who documented her own battle with breast cancer in a documentary released in 2022.
