A charity director who previously won an award for her cross-community work in Northern Ireland pleaded guilty to fraud charges involving a sum of over £860,000.
Wendy McBean had initially denied all 25 charges of fraud against her, but on 7 May, entered guilty pleas for eight of the charges, involving a sum of £862,574.
The Irish News reported that 17 other similar charges remain on the bill of indictment and are the subject of discussions between the prosecution and McBean’s defence team.
The judge presiding over the case has now set it for a standby trial on 19 May with a review date on 14 May, in order to allow for discussions to take place between the defence and prosecution regarding the remaining 17 charges.
Charity removed from register
McBean is alleged to have committed the offences when employed by the Foyle Youth and Community Association (FYACA), a charity which operated a gym and fitness studios in Derry.
The former director pleaded guilty this week to four charges of dishonestly making a false representation on 23 July 2018, and admitted that the FYACA had received donations totalling £840,899 between April 2018 and March 2019.
She also pleaded guilty to four charges of transferring a total of £21,675 from an account in the name of the FYACA to an account in her own name in July, August and September of 2018.
The Charity Commission of Northern Ireland opened a statutory inquiry in April 2021 over concerns regarding the governance and administration of the charity.
FYACA subsequently closed and was removed from the Charity Commission of Northern Ireland’s register in November last year.
Civil Society has contacted the Charity Commission of Northern Ireland for comment.
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