Wife Accused of Stealing Millions Blames Husband, Court Hears

A wife accused of stealing more than £5 million from a prestigious sixth form college claims her husband was solely responsible for the alleged fraud, a court has heard. Yasmin Sarwar, 45, and her husband Nadeem, 50, are accused of raiding the accounts of Cardiff Sixth Form College, which they established as a charity, to fund a lavish lifestyle.

Nadeem Sarwar has already admitted to stealing £5 million from the college between 2008 and 2016. However, his wife, a fellow director, denies nine theft and fraud charges and continues to blame her husband for all wrongdoing, Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court was told.

Prosecutor Mark Cotter KC stated that Yasmin Sarwar immediately pointed to her husband when an investigation was launched following concerns raised by college staff about its finances. While she acknowledged the college's finances were not "squeaky clean," she refused to accept any personal responsibility.

The prosecution asserts that both Nadeem and Yasmin Sarwar are responsible for the alleged misappropriation of funds. The court heard that the couple set up a board of 11 trustees, including four relatives, but that financial decisions, including the setting of their own substantial salaries, were made by the Sarwars rather than the trustees. Evidence suggested that meeting minutes were not accurately kept, with some potentially falsified.

Yasmin Sarwar, described as a "wilful, intelligent and manipulative woman," had previously worked as an A-level tutor before co-founding the internationally recognized Cardiff Sixth Form College. The prosecution alleges that the couple treated the institution as their "personal piggy bank," systematically draining its funds to support their extravagant lifestyle and defrauding the charity in the process.

This alleged extensive misuse of charitable funds made it impossible for the college's accountants to produce proper audited accounts. The couple reportedly hired Ragu Sivapalan, an accountant who pleaded guilty to submitting misleading information in audit reports, described as "less rigorous" and willing to accept the Sarwars' statements at face value.

Nadeem Sarwar has admitted to stealing £5 million between February 19, 2008, and October 31, 2016. Yasmin Sarwar denies nine charges related to theft and fraud totaling over £5 million between 2008 and 2016. The college, which educates over 300 students from around the world, is located in Cardiff.

The trial is expected to last ten weeks. Nadeem Sarwar is aged 50, and Yasmin Sarwar is 48, according to court documents and reporting. The allegations suggest the couple used sham companies to hide the stolen cash, contrary to Yasmin Sarwar's claims that her husband was solely responsible.