August 19th 2024.
Emma Hunt, a former office manager, used her position of trust to deceive tenants into paying their rent directly into her personal bank account. This went on for a staggering three years, during which she was employed by Edinburgh property firm McLean Properties. Hunt's deceitful actions allowed her to embezzle over £900,000 from her unsuspecting employers.
With this stolen money, Hunt indulged in a luxurious and extravagant lifestyle. She spent a whopping £40,000 on a Halloween party held at the historic Fenton Tower castle in East Lothian. In addition, she splurged on fancy holidays, expensive hotels, and high-end cars. Not stopping there, Hunt also treated herself to hospitality packages at prestigious events such as the Scottish Open golf tournament and the Six Nations rugby clash between Scotland and England at Murrayfield Stadium.
Hunt's fraudulent activities were only brought to light when a tenant raised concerns about their rent payments. This prompted an investigation by McLean Properties in 2019, which ultimately led to Hunt's downfall. Despite initially denying any wrongdoing, she was found guilty of embezzlement by a jury during her trial at Edinburgh Sheriff Court. As a result, she was sentenced to three years in prison.
In addition to her jail time, Hunt was also ordered to pay back a total of £211,574.67 through a confiscation order. This amount was determined by estimating that Hunt had benefited from her criminal activities to the tune of £925,000. Sineidin Corrins, Deputy Procurator Fiscal for serious casework at the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, emphasized the importance of pursuing financial crime even after a conviction has been secured. She also stated that the Crown will continue to seek further assets from Hunt in the future to ensure that she repays the full amount she stole.
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