This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2013/nov/28/nigella-lawson-charles-saatchi-court-accountant
The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Nigella Lawson and Charles Saatchi 'were not told about fraud suspicions' | Nigella Lawson and Charles Saatchi 'were not told about fraud suspicions' |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Charles Saatchi's accountant has told a court he did not tell his boss and his boss's ex-wife Nigella Lawson his suspicions that their personal assistants were spending thousands of pounds of their money as he did not want to bother them with "trivial matters". | Charles Saatchi's accountant has told a court he did not tell his boss and his boss's ex-wife Nigella Lawson his suspicions that their personal assistants were spending thousands of pounds of their money as he did not want to bother them with "trivial matters". |
| Rahul Gajjar said he first became aware that the Italian sisters Francesca and Elisabetta Grillo were using credit cards lent to them by the celebrity couple to buys things for themselves at the beginning of last year. | |
| While Francesca Grillo's average monthly spend was £48,000 and Elisabetta Grillo's was £28,000, the other personal assistants employed by Saatchi spent a maximum of £8,000. | While Francesca Grillo's average monthly spend was £48,000 and Elisabetta Grillo's was £28,000, the other personal assistants employed by Saatchi spent a maximum of £8,000. |
| Asked by the prosecutor Jane Carpenter why he did not go to Saatchi and Lawson with his suspicions straight away, Gajjar said: "It was on the back burner. We were dealing with more corporate matters – more serious corporate matters – and Mr Saatchi and Miss Lawson normally didn't have time for what we thought were trivial matters." | Asked by the prosecutor Jane Carpenter why he did not go to Saatchi and Lawson with his suspicions straight away, Gajjar said: "It was on the back burner. We were dealing with more corporate matters – more serious corporate matters – and Mr Saatchi and Miss Lawson normally didn't have time for what we thought were trivial matters." |
| On Wednesday jurors at Isleworth crown court in west London heard that the sisters are alleged to have spent the money on luxury goods and lived the high life as "portrayed in glossy magazines". | On Wednesday jurors at Isleworth crown court in west London heard that the sisters are alleged to have spent the money on luxury goods and lived the high life as "portrayed in glossy magazines". |
| Gajjar said both defendants had been given credit cards in Saatchi's Conarco Partnership account with Coutts bank to buy items for the household. | Gajjar said both defendants had been given credit cards in Saatchi's Conarco Partnership account with Coutts bank to buy items for the household. |
| While 35-year-old Francesca Grillo's credit limit was £25,000 in June 2008, it went up to £50,000 in February 2010 and rose to £100,000 in June 2011. | While 35-year-old Francesca Grillo's credit limit was £25,000 in June 2008, it went up to £50,000 in February 2010 and rose to £100,000 in June 2011. |
| Gajjar said he had been employed as finance director of Saatchi Gallery Group, part of his Conarco Partnership, since June 2002. | Gajjar said he had been employed as finance director of Saatchi Gallery Group, part of his Conarco Partnership, since June 2002. |
| He told jurors that the couple, who went through a high-profile divorce earlier this year, had a number of personal assistants who worked "flexible" hours for them. | He told jurors that the couple, who went through a high-profile divorce earlier this year, had a number of personal assistants who worked "flexible" hours for them. |
| Asked what their roles were, he told the court: "It could be personal matters, looking after the home. It could be some work-related matters very close to Charles and Nigella." | Asked what their roles were, he told the court: "It could be personal matters, looking after the home. It could be some work-related matters very close to Charles and Nigella." |
| Saatchi and the TV chef broke up after pictures were published in a newspaper showing him holding his wife of 10 years by the throat. | Saatchi and the TV chef broke up after pictures were published in a newspaper showing him holding his wife of 10 years by the throat. |
| The court previously heard that Saatchi alleges that Lawson was so high on drugs that she was unaware of what she had or had not permitted the sisters to spend money on. | The court previously heard that Saatchi alleges that Lawson was so high on drugs that she was unaware of what she had or had not permitted the sisters to spend money on. |
| The Grillos, both of Kensington Gardens Square, Bayswater, west London, deny the charge against them. | The Grillos, both of Kensington Gardens Square, Bayswater, west London, deny the charge against them. |
| It is alleged that between 1 January 2008 and 31 December 2012 they committed fraud, abusing their positions as PAs by using a company credit card for personal gain. | It is alleged that between 1 January 2008 and 31 December 2012 they committed fraud, abusing their positions as PAs by using a company credit card for personal gain. |
| The court heard that the monthly average amount Lawson spent on her credit card was £7,000. | The court heard that the monthly average amount Lawson spent on her credit card was £7,000. |
| The sisters are accused of spending more than £685,000 on themselves. The court heard that Francesca Grillo ran up a £64,000 bill in June last year as she went on luxury holidays and bought designer clothes. | The sisters are accused of spending more than £685,000 on themselves. The court heard that Francesca Grillo ran up a £64,000 bill in June last year as she went on luxury holidays and bought designer clothes. |
| Gajjar, 44, told jurors that the defendant made dozens of payments for personal use. | Gajjar, 44, told jurors that the defendant made dozens of payments for personal use. |
| Her expenditure included more than £4,700 on flights to New York, where she spent £1,850 at the high-end fashion store Miu Miu and more than £2,000 on hotels. | Her expenditure included more than £4,700 on flights to New York, where she spent £1,850 at the high-end fashion store Miu Miu and more than £2,000 on hotels. |
| She also used the card to pay a £1,280 bill at the Ritz hotel in Paris on the same day she bought a Chloe dress for £723. | She also used the card to pay a £1,280 bill at the Ritz hotel in Paris on the same day she bought a Chloe dress for £723. |
| On 12 June last year she spent £5,385 at Miu Miu London and £2,650 at the designer store Prada. | On 12 June last year she spent £5,385 at Miu Miu London and £2,650 at the designer store Prada. |
| Gajjar told the court he met the sisters at the Saatchi family home off the King's Road, west London, on 3 July last year to examine their credit card statements. | Gajjar told the court he met the sisters at the Saatchi family home off the King's Road, west London, on 3 July last year to examine their credit card statements. |
| He said Francesca Grillo explained that some of the transactions were for payments on behalf of her employers, some she was not sure of and others were personal. | He said Francesca Grillo explained that some of the transactions were for payments on behalf of her employers, some she was not sure of and others were personal. |
| "She admitted that they were for her own use, her personal expenditure, which she was slightly apologetic about and vowed to reimburse the company or Charles," Gajjar said. | "She admitted that they were for her own use, her personal expenditure, which she was slightly apologetic about and vowed to reimburse the company or Charles," Gajjar said. |
| Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. | Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. |