The former director and trustee of Cardiff Sixth Form College has admitted stealing £5m from the school, while a second defendant has pleaded guilty to a charge of false accounting.
Nadeem Sarwar, 50, pleaded guilty to theft at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court on Tuesday. The offence took place between February 19, 2008, and October 31, 2016, and related to £5m belonging to the college.
Second defendant admits false accounting
Ragu Sivapalan, 41, pleaded guilty to causing an auditor’s report on a company’s annual accounts to include any matter that is misleading, false or deceptive in a material particular.
Both Sarwar, of Wellwood, Pentwyn, and Sivapalan, of Doe Close, Penylan, will be sentenced at a later date.
Bail and trial details
Judge Celia Hughes remanded Sarwar on conditional bail, but warned him there was a “substantial chance” he could be going to prison. Sivapalan was remanded on unconditional bail.
Yasmin Sarwar, 45, of Hollybush Road, Cyncoed, is due to stand trial at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court. The defendant, who was also a director and trustee of the school, has pleaded not guilty to fraud by abuse of position, two counts of theft by an employee, two counts of carrying on a business of company with intent to defraud creditors or for other fraudulent purpose, acquiring, using or possessing criminal property, and three counts of concealing, disguising, converting, transferring or removing criminal property.
Cardiff Sixth Form College charges students more than £30,000 per year for day pupils and more than £75,000 per year for boarders.
