MEP Nikki Sinclaire held in European Parliament fraud probe

[dutchman]

A West Midlands MEP has been arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud the European Parliament.



The arrests of Nikki Sinclaire and three other people were part of an inquiry following an allegation made in 2010 into allowances and expenses.

Two women, aged 55 and 39, a man aged 19 and Ms Sinclaire, 43, have been released on police bail.

A statement on behalf of Ms Sinclaire said she disputed all allegations put to her or her staff.

She was arrested at a police station in Birmingham and the other three were arrested at addresses in Solihull, Worcester and Birmingham on Wednesday.

Officers have been carrying out searches at the addresses involved.

A statement released on behalf of the independent MEP said: "The allegations at hand are old allegations from a disgruntled ex-employee..."

The statement added that Ms Sinclaire was "eager to clear her name and has nothing to hide".

It said Ms Sinclaire attended a police station voluntarily on Wednesday, and both she and her office would "continue to fully co-operate with the police on this matter".

In a short statement, UKIP said Ms Sinclaire ceased to be an MEP for the party in 2010.

The statement said: "It would be inappropriate for the party to make any comment during the process of an ongoing police inquiry."

[dutchman]

West Midlands MEP Nikki Sinclaire: I'm no fraudster

A WEST Midlands MEP who was arrested on suspicion of fraud has spoken out after being arrested.

Nikki Sinclaire, 43, of Meriden, was quizzed after allegations of conspiracy to defraud the European Parliament.

After being released from a Birmingham police station, the independent MEP put out a statement claiming the arrest concerned “old allegations from a disgruntled ex-employee” of her former party, UKIP.

Two women, aged 55 and 39, and a man aged 19 were also arrested at addresses in Solihull, Worcester and Birmingham.

Officers have carried out searches at the addresses involved. All four were bailed.

Ms Sinclaire’s statement issued yesterday said: “Nikki Sinclaire attended the police station voluntarily yesterday and has co-operated with the police.

“Nikki Sinclaire MEP disputes all allegations put towards her or her staff.

“Ms Sinclaire and her office will continue to fully co-operate with the police on this matter.

“The allegations at hand are old allegations from a disgruntled ex-employee whose motives are entirely political to pursue his advancement in UKIP.

“Due to the on-going police investigation it would be inappropriate to comment further at this time.

“This is particularly frustrating to Ms Sinclaire who is eager to clear her name and has nothing to hide.”

In 2010 a whistleblower alleged Ms Sinclaire had claimed nearly £840 for driving the 1,200 miles from her Birmingham home to the parliament in Strasbourg, when she had allegedly travelled by plane, which can cost as little as £260.

At the time she issued a fierce denial that she had ever claimed “anything I wasn’t entitled to”.

She insisted an investigation by the European Parliament’s anti-fraud office was the only way she could clear her name.

She was expelled from UKIP in 2010 for refusing to be part of the Europe of Freedom and Democracy grouping, alleging some of the group’s members held homophobic views.

She won an Employment Tribunal claim for sexual orientation discrimination against UKIP in 2010.

[dutchman]

Ex-MEP Nikki Sinclaire bailed in European Parliament fraud probe



A former West Midlands MEP has been re-bailed after she was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud the European Parliament.

Former UKIP MEP Nikki Sinclaire, 45, was due to answer bail on Friday.

She was arrested in February 2012 following an allegation made in 2010 relating to allowances and expenses.

West Midlands Police said "a 45-year-old woman remains on police bail pending further inquiries" while its "complex investigation" continued.

[rebbonk]

Oh dear,how sad, never mind!

[dutchman]

Ex-MEP Nikki Sinclaire charged with money laundering and misconduct

Former MEP Nikki Sinclaire has been charged with money laundering and misconduct in public office.

Ms Sinclaire, 45, who represented the West Midlands until losing her seat in May, will appear at Birmingham Magistrates' Court on 17 September.

She is accused of making false and dishonest submissions for travelling expenses and transferring the proceeds of fraud through a bank account.

The offences allegedly occurred between 1 October 2009 and 31 July 2010.

Ms Sinclaire was elected as a UKIP MEP in 2009 but was expelled from the party the following year in a row over its membership of the Europe of Freedom and Democracy grouping.

She remained in the European Parliament as an independent before forming the We Demand A Referendum Now Party in 2012.

She was originally arrested on 22 February 2012 and has since been on police bail.

Three other people were also arrested but will face no further action.

[rebbonk]

Oh dear,how sad, never mind!

[dutchman]

Ex-UKIP MEP Nikki Sinclaire cleared of fiddling expenses after trial

A former Ukip MEP has been found not guilty of fiddling £3,250 in European parliamentary expenses claims and laundering the cash.

Nikki Sinclaire , who represented the West Midlands region in Brussels and Strasbourg until 2014, had denied deliberately submitting 10 dishonest claims for road travel she never made when she had flown more cheaply.

The 47-year-old and her lawyers maintained that instead the expenses had been “deliberately corrupted” by her former office aide, John Ison.

Today Ms Sinclaire jurors returned a not guilty verdict.

[rebbonk]

..the expenses had been “deliberately corrupted” by her former office aide, John Ison.

So are we going to see another prosecution?