NHS Chief Executive who advised Leeds University faces jail for fraud

£11,072 to be exact

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A former NHS chief executive at the University of Leeds has been found to have fraudulently paid her husband more than £11,000 from her budget at the university. After confessing to the act while she was in charge of the South Devon NHS Foundation, Paula Vasco-Knight will be sentenced next month.

She had paid her husbund, Stephen Vasco-Knight to create a document that was meant to improve leadership qualities in CEOs. However, the document was never produced and Dr Vasco-Knight never declared any interest in her husband’s company.

The University of Leeds revealed to The Yorkshire Post that Paula Vasco-Knight was an unpaid visiting fellow at the business school from June 2014 to September 2015. Despite the fact that an investigation was launched in March 2014 and continued into 2015, a university spokesmen has stated that there is no evidence that any of the officials had knowledge of any indication of fraud during her tenure.

Leeds University Business School, where Paula Vasco-Knight had an advisory role as a visiting fellow

Dr Vasco-Knight has been accused of nepotism at previous work-places, and led to her resignation after her suspension in February 2014. However, an independent report commissioned by a former chair of the trust found no evidence that she had breached any policies.

In a statement, the University of Leeds declared that Dr Vasco-Knight was an unpaid visisting fellow and that she was not an employee and that her role was advisory in nature.

A spokesman  continued: “Having reviewed this matter, it is apparent that she was taken on in good faith and we have found nothing to indicate that the University was aware of allegations of fraudulent payments. She is no longer involved with the university.”