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'Career suicide' to testify against Charles Saatchi, ex-aide tells court 'Career suicide' to testify against Charles Saatchi, ex-aide tells court
(35 minutes later)
A former aide to Charles Saatchi has told a court she was "committing career suicide" by giving evidence in the defence of Elisabetta and Francesca Grillo, domestic assistants who are accused of defrauding him of £685,000 on household credit cards and taxi accounts.A former aide to Charles Saatchi has told a court she was "committing career suicide" by giving evidence in the defence of Elisabetta and Francesca Grillo, domestic assistants who are accused of defrauding him of £685,000 on household credit cards and taxi accounts.
Sharrine Scholtz, who worked as an accounts assistant for Saatchi's company Conarco between 2004 and 2009, said there had been no distinction between personal and business spending on credit cards used by the Grillos and two other assistants who are not on trial, and that they were authorised to buy designer goods for themselves on domestic accounts.Sharrine Scholtz, who worked as an accounts assistant for Saatchi's company Conarco between 2004 and 2009, said there had been no distinction between personal and business spending on credit cards used by the Grillos and two other assistants who are not on trial, and that they were authorised to buy designer goods for themselves on domestic accounts.
She said she processed credit card statements and allocated to business accounts spending on restaurants, tickets to events, clothes, beauty treatments, hotels and shopping bills at stores such as John Lewis and Peter Jones.She said she processed credit card statements and allocated to business accounts spending on restaurants, tickets to events, clothes, beauty treatments, hotels and shopping bills at stores such as John Lewis and Peter Jones.
Scholtz told how the family's assistants, including the Grillos, Anzelle Wasserman and Zoe Wales, never sought permission to make purchases on the cards through the accounts office in which she worked in the basement of Saatchi's house. She said that on some occasions Wasserman and Wales told her Lawson had given them permission to make personal expenditure on the cards.Scholtz told how the family's assistants, including the Grillos, Anzelle Wasserman and Zoe Wales, never sought permission to make purchases on the cards through the accounts office in which she worked in the basement of Saatchi's house. She said that on some occasions Wasserman and Wales told her Lawson had given them permission to make personal expenditure on the cards.
Cross-examined by Jane Carpenter for the prosecution, Scholtz denied trying to help the Grillos with her evidence. She said she had "nothing to gain by assisting them. I am essentially committing career suicide by speaking out against him. I am here to speak the truth."Cross-examined by Jane Carpenter for the prosecution, Scholtz denied trying to help the Grillos with her evidence. She said she had "nothing to gain by assisting them. I am essentially committing career suicide by speaking out against him. I am here to speak the truth."
Anthony Metzer QC, defending Elisabetta Grillo, asked Scholtz to elaborate. She said: "I believe that somebody needs to speak up now. I believe most people are too scared to … Anyone who speaks up against the Saatchi Gallery in any way would be blackmarking themselves from working for anyone else in the art world."Anthony Metzer QC, defending Elisabetta Grillo, asked Scholtz to elaborate. She said: "I believe that somebody needs to speak up now. I believe most people are too scared to … Anyone who speaks up against the Saatchi Gallery in any way would be blackmarking themselves from working for anyone else in the art world."
Scholtz said that towards the end of her employment she became stressed working up to 19-hour days and weekends, and she was signed off sick for depression by her doctor. She said Rahul Gajjar, Saatchi's head of finance, wanted her to sign a compromise agreement ending her employment.Scholtz said that towards the end of her employment she became stressed working up to 19-hour days and weekends, and she was signed off sick for depression by her doctor. She said Rahul Gajjar, Saatchi's head of finance, wanted her to sign a compromise agreement ending her employment.
"He threatened to use the fact that I was using the taxi account to get home from work against me," she said."He threatened to use the fact that I was using the taxi account to get home from work against me," she said.
"Something that you were expressly allowed to do, he threatened to turn against you," said Metzer."Something that you were expressly allowed to do, he threatened to turn against you," said Metzer.
Scholtz said she was also wrongly accused of taking money from the petty cash. The threat if she didn't sign the agreement, seemed clear, she said. "I thought perhaps I would be standing here instead of Lisa and Francesca," she said. Scholtz said she was also wrongly accused of taking money from the petty cash. The threat if she didn't sign the agreement seemed clear, she said. "I thought perhaps I would be standing here instead of Lisa and Francesca," she said.
Carpenter put it to Scholtz that she couldn't properly remember which credit card accounts she was processing. Scholtz said she remembered processing the Coutts accounts.Carpenter put it to Scholtz that she couldn't properly remember which credit card accounts she was processing. Scholtz said she remembered processing the Coutts accounts.
The case continues.The case continues.
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