Hunt for Mone embezzler accused
A woman accused of embezzling nearly £75,000 from two East Kilbride companies – including Michelle Mone’s bra firm – is wanted by police after missing a court hearing.
Adele Mitchell, 43, failed to show at Hamilton Sheriff Court on Friday and Sheriff Daniel Kelly QC granted a warrant for her arrest.
Mitchell, a former financial controller, allegedly defrauded Tory peer Mone’s former lingerie company MJM International, at Redwood Crescent in Peel Park, between June 2013 and March 2014.
It is claimed she acquired £33,887.51 after instructing a fellow MJM employee to make a payment to an HMRC account but the account was allegedly opened by her in 2014.
It is alleged Mitchell then defrauded the company of £6058.80 by fraudulently purchasing a Mercedes Benz car under a lease agreement.
She is charged with making unauthorised payments of £6058 to Mercedes Benz Financial Services UK without the knowledge of MJM between June 1, 2013 and March 21, 2014. It is claimed Mitchell also told MJM accountants that she was due a £5000 a year wage rise which she was not entitled to and received £4,583.33 by fraud between June 2013 and March 2014. It is further claimed she embezzled £5000 from the company in December 2013. Mitchell is charged with defrauding MJM International of a total of £49,529.64. Trial was scheduled for August 7 with Mone set to give evidence. Mitchell also faces a charge of embezzling £24,786 from Kelvin-based building contractors AKP Limited while employed as their finance and administration manager.
It is claimed the alleged offence was committed at the Carron Place company between November 23, 2011 and January 13, 2012.
She is also charged with failing to appear at a court hearing in February 2015.
Mitchell, of Duthie Road, Gourock, previously denied the charges and was granted bail by the sheriff court.
When the accused was called for a preliminary hearing she did not appear in the dock and her lawyer Alan Gravelle told Sheriff Kelly he had had no contact from his client.