A former accountant has admitted stealing more than £2.4 million from a group of family-owned companies where she worked for over a decade. Jemma Lewis, 40, used the money to fund her gambling habit, Newport Crown Court heard.
Lewis began working for businessman James Davies in 2007 as a receptionist and later became the group accountant after her training was funded by the company. Davies described her as being like a daughter, but between 2018 and 2023 she transferred over £3.6 million into her own account, of which £2.4 million was fraudulent.
The fraud was discovered after the company moved to online banking and profits dropped. When Lewis resigned in 2023, a new accountant noticed a link between her account and multiple payments. She had sent £1.4 million to gambling firms, £67,000 to crypto companies, and spent money on holidays and cruises.
Her actions caused significant stress, leading one director to leave, another to lose his salary, and a female employee to lose access to her pension. The companies also underpaid tax as a result of the fraud.
Despite the theft, Lewis asked Davies for a £163,000 loan towards buying a house, which was later repaid by her mother and brother. Sentencing was adjourned for reports.
