A former finance worker at Breast Cancer Now has been jailed for stealing almost £92,000 from the charity.
Tameem Choudhury was sentenced to two years and six months’ imprisonment yesterday at the Royal Courts of Justice after pleading guilty to fraud and money laundering offences while working for the charity.
Choudhury, 29, intercepted a refund payment from the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust to the charity.
On 11 August 2023, he used his work credentials and materials to fraudulently supply the NHS trust with his personal bank details to transfer £91,966.
This came through on 16 August 2024 and Choudhury soon embarked on a “spending spree” using charity money, City of London Police said.
In September 2024, Choudhury spent £49,100 of the stolen funds. He also bought a £14,000 Alexander Brown ring and booked flights to Qatar.
Breast Cancer Now told Civil Society today: "The risk of such a deliberate and determined fraud by an employee in a position of trust is very difficult to fully eliminate.
"We have conducted a thorough review of internal processes to best mitigate against a situation like this happening again."
In a statement to police, the charity added that it took the matter “extremely seriously” and had cooperated with law enforcement at every stage.
“We’re committed to upholding the highest standards to ensure all funds so generously donated to the charity help those affected by this devastating disease, as intended,” the charity said.
“Funds have been recovered and the charity has not experienced any financial loss.”
City of London Police said £42,866 was recovered after Santander Bank froze and closed Choudhury’s account.
He was arrested in June 2025 after being reported to police by Breast Cancer Now.
Indebted worker ‘abused position of trust’
Police evidence revealed that Choudhury was heavily in debt before he received the money.
Messages on his phone showed he had described himself as “borderline broke” before defrauding the charity.
Choudhury spent the funds on wedding expenses, luxury retail goods, transfers to relatives and to pay off debts.
Detective constable Yusuf Meerza, City of London Police, said: “Choudhury abused a position of trust within a charity dedicated to funding life-saving breast cancer research.
“This case demonstrates that fraud can be committed from within an organisation by individuals entrusted to safeguard its finances.”
Breast Cancer Now recorded a total income of £59.3m in the year to 31 July 2025, below its expenditure of £66.8m.
