A woman has been sentenced to two years and two months in prison for defrauding a number of charities in Berkshire and Buckinghamshire, stealing a total of £47,000. Parvinder Matharu, 47, from Slough, was convicted of five counts of fraud by false representation after a thorough investigation by Thames Valley Police.
Between 2013 and 2017, Matharu targeted charities such as Iver United Charity, Wokingham United Charity, The Link Foundation, and another unnamed charity in Buckinghamshire. She established a charity called Sewak, which was meant to help people in need of housing. However, rather than using the funds for their intended purpose, Matharu exploited them for her personal gain.
The total amount Matharu fraudulently applied for was £54,000, from which she managed to obtain £47,000. Detective Inspector Duncan Wynn from Thames Valley Police described Matharu’s crimes as “sophisticated and pre-meditated” and said that her actions severely harmed the charities and the vulnerable individuals they supported.
“The charities were left unable to provide critical funding to those who were entitled to it due to Matharu’s actions,” he said. “Fraud is often seen as a victimless crime, but in this case, it put vulnerable people at risk of harm and deprived them of much-needed support.”
One of the affected charities, The Link Foundation, expressed concern that the stolen money might have deprived local children of necessary support. The charity worked with the police to reclaim £7,440 of the stolen funds. Nicola Ross, trustee of The Link Foundation, thanked Thames Valley Police for their efforts to recover the money, emphasizing that it would allow the charity to continue supporting the most vulnerable in the community.
Matharu’s case highlights the devastating impact of charity fraud, where essential funds meant to assist those in need were instead stolen for personal gain.