Merthyr Tydfil, Wales — A convicted fraudster has been jailed once again after stealing £140,000 from her employer while working as a finance manager, years after serving time for a similar offense.
Victoria King, 56, who previously went by the name Vikki Phillips, manipulated company finances at Eftech Ltd, where she earned a £45,000 annual salary, by creating fraudulent payments that appeared to go to a genuine supplier — but in reality, funneled funds into her own account.
Merthyr Crown Court heard that King, already jailed in 2014 for embezzling £130,000 from a charity, had used forged references from that case’s victims to secure another job in finance. She is now employed elsewhere in the same field, although it remains unclear whether her current employer is aware of her court appearance.
Prosecutor Leah Pollard explained that King joined the Rhigos branch of Eftech Ltd, an adhesives supplier, in 2021. In her role, she was entrusted with making supplier payments and had access to the company’s Lloyds bank account.
King’s scheme ran from October 2021 to July 2023, during which she processed 21 fake payments — worth roughly £7,500 each month — to an account with a name deceptively similar to a real vendor.
The fraud was only discovered after King abruptly resigned in April 2023, prompting the Belgium-based firm to absorb the Welsh office’s finances and trigger an internal audit. The review uncovered significant discrepancies and launched a deeper investigation by the local branch manager, ultimately exposing King’s deception.
Despite the large sum stolen, King has refused to explain where the money went. The court was told that her current financial circumstances are unclear.
This latest conviction marks a pattern of serious financial misconduct, underscoring concerns about background checks and accountability in hiring for sensitive financial roles.
