NHS fraudsterordered to payback £2 million millionc

Pic shows Trevor Cosson
A finance chief who conned an NHS primary care trust out of more than £2 million to invest in a property portfolio has been told to pay back £2.1m today (fri).
Trevor Cosson, 38, was jailed last year for authorising £1.4m worth of payments to be made to his own bank account over a four year period.
He also transferred a further £800,000 after stating the money was meant for St Michael's Hospice in St Leonards-on-Sea in East Sussex.
Cosson, who was caged for five years and four months, has been threatened with an additional six years imprisonment unless he pays up, Blackfriars Crown Court heard.
SEE STORY CENTRAL NEWS SUS-150331-120933001 — Pic shows Trevor Cosson A finance chief who conned an NHS primary care trust out of more than £2 million to invest in a property portfolio has been told to pay back £2.1m today (fri). Trevor Cosson, 38, was jailed last year for authorising £1.4m worth of payments to be made to his own bank account over a four year period. He also transferred a further £800,000 after stating the money was meant for St Michael's Hospice in St Leonards-on-Sea in East Sussex. Cosson, who was caged for five years and four months, has been threatened with an additional six years imprisonment unless he pays up, Blackfriars Crown Court heard. SEE STORY CENTRAL NEWS SUS-150331-120933001

Trevor Barry Cosson, 38, of Tenterden Rise, Hastings, was jailed for five years and four months last summer after admitting defrauding the Hastings and Rother Primary Care Trust (PCT) and East Sussex Downs and Weald PCT.

Last Friday (March 27), at Blackfriars Crown Court in London, Judge Blacksell confiscated £2,161,758.45 from Cosson, which must be paid in compensation to the NHS.

NHS Protect pursued these assets under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.

It is the largest amount NHS Protect has ever recovered under the POCA.

Cosson, the former head of financial accounting at the Trusts, was prosecuting following an NHS Protect fraud investigation.

Last summer Cosson pleaded guilty to offences under the Fraud Act 2006 and Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.

He used the stolen money to build a portfolio of eleven properties in East Sussex and London, which he will now have to sell.

Cosson’s crimes first came to light when the primary care trusts he had previously worked for were being disbanded and the newly-formed Sussex and Surrey Commissioning Support Unit carried out an audit.

NHS Protect investigators found that Cosson had manipulated the internal payments systems of both of the PCTs he worked for.

Standing orders were set up in the name of regular suppliers but the payments were actually credited to bank accounts he controlled.

Between 2008 and 2011 Cosson authorised £810,000 worth of standing order payments, and £1.4m worth of CHAPS payments.

Richard Hampton, head of external engagement and services, NHS Protect, said: “Today is a good day for taxpayers and NHS patients.