A UK councillor is on trial accused of establishing a fake heritage society to embezzle funds, an effort he allegedly attempted to explain by blaming a deceased former colleague. Jason Zadrozny, an independent councillor in Nottinghamshire and leader of Ashfield District Council, faces 12 counts of fraud and four counts of tax evasion.
Prosecutors allege Zadrozny, who earns approximately £50,000 annually from his council roles but was reportedly in debt, created the Ashfield Heritage Society (AHS) in February 2018. The society, which prosecutors claim never existed or conducted any activities, was established to secure grant funding for 'good causes.' Zadrozny is accused of withdrawing these funds in cash.
During police interviews, Zadrozny claimed he gave the cash withdrawals to Tony Brewer, a former Ashfield council chairman who died in 2020, for the repair and maintenance of local war memorials. Zadrozny stated he believed Brewer, whom he described as a "nice person," handled the funds for these projects, acknowledging that no records were kept of the expenditures. The court heard that Zadrozny's account of handing over the money was made after police pointed out that the individuals he named to corroborate his story were deceased.
Evidence presented in Northampton Crown Court indicates that Zadrozny applied for funding from the Councillors' Divisional Fund, a pot of money allocated to representatives for local organizations. He applied for £7,500 for AHS, including £3,500 from his own allocation, just three days after opening the society's bank account. The address provided on the application form was reportedly non-existent. Further funding requests for AHS totaling £1,600 were also made and withdrawn in cash, with no record of their use.
An investigation was initiated after a prospective election candidate looked into the heritage society's activities. According to prosecutors, Zadrozny drafted a note on his phone suggesting Brewer was involved in projects related to war memorials, which the prosecution described as an attempt to distance himself from the society and blame Brewer.
Mr. Brewer's partner, Patricia Percival, told the court she was deeply upset by Zadrozny's attempt to implicate Brewer, stating it was an "understatement" to describe her feelings. Several individuals who knew Brewer also testified that they had never heard him mention the Ashfield Heritage Society or related projects.
Zadrozny is also facing accusations related to a second organization he allegedly set up, the Classic Cinema Club. This group reportedly received £1,200 from the Councillors' Divisional Fund. Prosecutors claim a portion of these funds, along with money from AHS, was used to purchase a house with associates. Financial records indicate Zadrozny transferred £12,000 to a friend, Thomas Hollis, for the property. The house was later purchased for over £70,000 by another associate, Helen Smith. When the property was sold in September 2021 for £168,000, Ms. Smith reportedly paid Mr. Hollis £97,000 and transferred over £68,000 to Zadrozny.
The court was informed that council grant applications of this nature were subject to light checks, operating on a system of trust due to the relatively small amounts involved compared to the council's overall budget. The trial is ongoing.