A BOOK-KEEPER who allowed her bank account to be used as a money-laundering facility by former tax fugitive Michael Voudouri has been ordered to hand over £470,000 under a crime proceeds confiscation order.
Caroline Laing, 57, was jailed for two-and-a-half years for the crime last year. The sentencing judge said the sums involved were "very large", totalling about £800,000.
Following Laing's conviction the Crown raised proceedings against her to pursue her for any profits she had made from crime.
The action called at the High Court in Edinburgh yesterday when Laing's counsel, John McElroy, told Lord Armstrong that a settlement had been reached in the confiscation case.
Advocate depute Barry Divers asked the court to record the benefit from Laing's criminal conduct as totalling £807,637.50.
Mr Divers said a confiscation order should be made in the sum of £470,000 which represented Laing's "realisable assets". These included her bank accounts, pension plans, sales receipts from a Mercedes S350 and BMW X5 Sport and a property at Hillhouse Road, Denny.
The advocate depute said six months should be allowed for payment to Falkirk Sheriff Court.
Voudouri, 47, formerly of Kenilworth Road, Bridge of Allan, in Stirlingshire, was jailed for 11-and-a-half years earlier this year after earlier admitting a money-laundering scam worth in excess of £10 million. He originally admitted the offence in 2012 before fleeing to Northern Cyprus but later returned.
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