Edinburgh Little Chef supervisor stole £700,000

Published on 25/07/2012 01:13

A SUPERVISOR at a Little Chef stole £700,000 from his employers to pay off gambling debts, a court heard yesterday.

Yiuman Poon, 48, used a 
credit card payment machine at the restaurant at Dreghorn Link, Edinburgh, to transfer the money into two bank accounts that he controlled.

Poon carried out the scam after telling colleagues not to turn up for work on 13 November, 2011, because there was an electrical fault.

Yesterday Edinburgh Sheriff Court heard that Poon’s scheme was uncovered because he forgot to tell one colleague, who arrived to find the workplace deserted – and a refund receipt for £458,000 lying on the floor.

Police were called in and found that the £458,000 had been transferred into a bank account controlled by Poon. Another £242,000 had been transferred on the same day into another bank account controlled by Poon.

Poon, of Seafield Road, Edinburgh, pled guilty to fraud.

Sheriff Alistair Noble deferred sentence until next month.