Following a recent court ruling, Paul Fitzsimmons, a former facilities manager at the UK outpost of Cleary Gottlieb, has been convicted for his role in a significant embezzlement scheme. Over a period of three years, Fitzsimmons and his accomplice, Toby Britton, who was a director at a firm vendor, siphoned off more than £1 million, equivalent to $1,216,405. Above the Law reported the story.
According to a statement from the City of London Police, the pair reportedly used the stolen funds to maintain a high-end lifestyle, including purchasing performance cars, luxury furniture, and designer clothing.
Details on the operation found on RollOnFriday reveal that Fitzsimmons and Britton established faux companies and had different directors listed to minimize their digital footprint. They then billed the U.S Firm for work that was never conducted. Their scheme was eventually exposed in 2018 when Cleary’s finance team grew suspicious and hired an investigative firm to look into their company’s accounts.
Fitzsimmons began his employment with the firm in the late 1990s. After the investigation, Cleary released a statement where the firm expressed gratitude towards the police for their diligent work and professionalism. They reported that they discovered the fraud during a regular internal review in 2018, which was immediately reported to the police and the Solicitors Regulation Authority.
As a result of their actions, Fitzsimmons has been sentenced to six years in jail, while Britton has been handed a four-year sentence.