Oxford to Old Bailey

A former Oxford lecturer has been jailed for up to five years after committing massive fraud.

Maria di Natale, who holds a degree from the LSE, was found guilty by jurors of a £436,000 fraud on design consultancy firm Interstate Associates Ltd, who hired her as maternity cover for a financial controller.

Fraudster..Maria di Natale

The company’s clients include Jamie Oliver, The Victoria and Albert Museum and Penguin Books.

Passing herself off as a “lady of means” with no need for cash the 45 year old tricked a director into giving her sole control of the company bank account.  It took her less than a year to take the money by writing cheques and using the business’ credit card.

An investigation by an accountancy firm revealed the life of luxury she enjoyed, spending £13,286 on Portuguese holidays, £17,000 on renting a flat for her and her husband and £2,840 on a chaise longue.

Interstate lost some £436,000

Thousands more were spent at stores such as online fashion retailer “Net a porter” and Selfridges and she had also hired a jet to fly in an associate to London for a charity football match.

Prosecuting, Neil Sandys said “When financial information was requested she became evasive, distractive and tried to change the conversation by suggesting new avenues of business.

Not the sort of dreaming spire you want to see

She tried to throw police off her tracks by arranging for incriminating office computers to be stolen.

When her crimes did catch up with her Ms di Natale, now living in Kilburn, pleaded guilty to fraud by abuse of position and attempting to pervert the course of justice on the first day of her trial.

John Carl Townsend, defending, claimed Di Natale was suffering from a bipolar disorder.

Sentencing, Mr Recorder Oliver Sells QC said the fraud had not only damaged the company but “careers, hopes and dreams”.

Nick Downes: “We will continue”

Nick Downes, who set up the family company fifteen years ago, said

“I just want to draw a line under it now.  It hasn’t dampened my enthusiasm for business.

“We will continue, but whether it’s this business I don’t know – more likely to be a new one because of the damage caused, both financial and emotional.”