The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Ex-SNP MP Michelle Thomson cleared as fraud probe dropped
Lack of credible evidence in relation to claims of mortgage fraud
A fraud investigation involving a former SNP MP has been dropped because of a lack of evidence.
Michelle Thomson, who represented Edinburgh West in the last Westminster session, was one of five people reported to prosecutors in relation to allegations of mortgage fraud.
The investigation has been dropped by prosecutors who said there was an “absence of sufficient credible and reliable evidence”.
They said there should be “no criminal proceedings at this time”.
A spokesman for the Crown Office said: “The procurator fiscal received a report concerning four men aged 48, 56, 59 and 59, and one woman aged 51, in relation to alleged incidents between 16 June 2010 and 26 July 2011.
“After careful consideration of the
The buy-tolet investor has insisted she did nothing wrong and that it was her solicitor who was under investigation, not herself
facts and circumstances of the case, Crown counsel concluded there was an absence of sufficient credible and reliable evidence and there should be no criminal proceedings at this time.”
Ms Thomson resigned the SNP whip when the allegations surfaced last year.
She was barred from standing in the general election on June 8 and decided not to seek re-election as an independent.
In a statement, Ms Thomson said she has received confirmation from the Crown Office that she had been “completely exonerated by the police investigation into a solicitor I used in 2010”.
The Sunday Times published a story in September 2015 in which Ms Thomson was accused of building her property empire by buying homes from families struggling with debt for prices below the market level.
The buy-to-let investor has insisted she did nothing wrong and that it was her solicitor who was under investigation, not herself.
An SNP spokesman said: “Ms Thomson took a dignified approach during the investigation into her financial conduct. She’ll be relieved to put this affair behind her and we wish her well for the future.”