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Mr Glenn Todd of Princes Risborough, Buckinghamshire, submitted a number of timesheets to Triangle Partners in April 2001, which it appeared contained forged client authorisation signatures.
The agency later learned Mr Todd, who was earning around £2,000 per week undertaking freelance IT work for the legal advice company, Mourant, was not on the client's premises for the time he billed the agency for, due to illness.
Warwick Bergin, a Partner at the agency, said: "The value of the fraud was in excess of £10,000. We had already paid the freelancer and the client had paid us. We spotted the last of these forgeries and immediately reviewed all of Mr Todd's previous timesheets. We identified the forged timesheets, notified the client and credited the sums involved.
"We pursued the freelancer as, not unnaturally, we wanted our money back. Mr Todd asked us not to go to court and for time to pay, so we agreed a repayment timetable. He made two modest payments then no more came. When we made enquiries his girlfriend said he was seriously ill and had gone to the USA for treatment. She then advised us that he had in fact died.
"She said the estate was worth quite a lot, our money would be paid back and she issued two cheques to us as an interim payment. They both bounced and we couldn't re-establish communications with her."
The agency's solicitors used an inquiry agent to investigate the position.
The agent subsequently reported Mr Todd was in fact alive and well and living with his girlfriend.
Mr Bergin then commenced legal action against Mr Todd.
Mr Todd was served with the claim by a process server but failed to respond within the designated two weeks. Accordingly, the agency was able to obtain an automatic judgment from the Mayor's and City of London Court.
"I find this fraud sordid and unprofessional in the extreme. It brings the profession into disrepute," added Mr Bergin.
Richard Harrison, a partner at Laytons solicitors which acted on behalf of Triangle Parters, said he was not completely satisfied with the outcome of the proceedings because no money had been received from Mr Todd as yet. However, he confirmed that enforcement was being actively pursued.
Mr Bergin noted an entry on the Friends Reunited website from someone proclaiming to be 'Glenn Todd' with an identical career history to the one outlined on his CV held by the agency, posted on July 2002.
Part of the entry reads: "I have become an IT contractor living in Buckinghamshire... It would be great to arrange a reunion at some juncture."
Mr Bergin said: "I would love to have a reunion with Mr Todd."
Mr Todd could not be contacted on the phone numbers given by his former agency or by the entry on Friends Reunited, for comment.
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Richard Powell, © Shout99.com 2002
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