RBS staff probed for booze expenses
RBS has suspended two senior employees over allegations boozy drinking sessions were charged to company expenses cards.
A whistleblower said bogus overtime payments were also signed off for staff at subsidiary NatWest’s OneConnect unit, which handles business customers.
Cocktai l bar bil ls are said to have been charged to RBS under the guise of “entertaining clients” or “rewarding employees”.
Insiders al lege some expenses claims relate to a hen do and birthday parties – and on one occasion, a trolley with up to 24 bottles of Prosecco was wheeled around the office.
It is understood the amount of money misspent may run into five figures.
Taxpayers still own 62 per cent of RBS after the bank had to be bailed out during the 2008 economic crash, when former CEO Fred Goodwin quit in disgrace.
A source said: “These n ight s out d r ink ing champagne were basically sponsored by the taxpayer.
“It’s crazy these things are still happening… it’s the dark ages of Fred Goodwin all over again.”
OneConnect, which is based in Birmingham, employs about 60 people.
RBS said it launched an internal probe into the unit in November after being contacted by a whistleblower.
A spokeswoman added: “RBS has a clear employee policy around appropriate use of corporate cards, personal expense claims and overtime claims.”