Teen plunders thousands from Freshfields
A teenager on work experience at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has been jailed for five months after stealing thousands of pounds from the magic circle law firm.
Titilayo Olaifa, who was on placement in Freshfields' accounts department through the Career Academies UK internship programme, stole 11 cheques and wrote six totaling £60,000 to herself.
Four of the cheques were stopped before they could be cashed, but two others, for a total of £13,500, were processed and the money withdrawn. Freshfields' bank has written down the cost of cashing the cheques with neither the firm or its clients having to fund the theft.
A spokesperson for Freshfields said: "We're committed as ever to the Career Academies UK programme. This is an isolated and regrettable incident."
Olaifa, from East London, was sentenced at Southwark Crown Court on Tuesday (8 July) after pleading guilty to one count of theft and one of "fraud by abuse of position" at a hearing in June 2007.
Olaifa, now 19, completed two placements at Freshfields. The first between July and August 2005 and the second in June 2008.
The Career Academies UK internship programme provides six-week paid placement opportunities to typically middle achieving students from non-traditional backgrounds.
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Readers' comments (49)
Rob | 10-Jul-2008 4:22 pm
Freshfields teen plunder blunder
Client accounts beware?
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Rob | 10-Jul-2008 4:26 pm
Freshfields teen plunder blunder (2)
Before commentators dig themselves into some truly gargantuan holes, the expression 'non-traditional' needs definition. Where did it come from, anyway?
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I.D.Spair | 10-Jul-2008 4:30 pm
Ethnicity is Irrelevant
This could have been done by anyone. This work experience just did it!
What is amazing is that a company like this, dealing in such large amounts of client money could have this happen!
I wonder what measures they are taking to assure their clients that this will not happen again.
It shows a total lack of professionalism within the accounts department! They should be asking for the accountant and supervisors' resignations! Look out for jobs being advertised in the "top ten law firm's accounts department" to see how seriously they took this!
IMHO
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Anonymous | 10-Jul-2008 4:31 pm
Non-Traditional Background !!
It seems it is being suggested that this young lady's conduct is as a result of her so called "non-traditional background" and indeed Freshfields has itself to blame taking on people of her ilk as interns! that's a real shame ! Most white-collar crimes are commited by middle class brats !
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Anon. | 10-Jul-2008 4:38 pm
Re: white collar crime (16.31)
Re the post at 16.31, if most white-collar crime really is done by 'middle class brats', it's probably because so are most white-collar jobs.
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John Walters | 10-Jul-2008 4:52 pm
Non-traditional?
The mere fact that this discriminatory term has been unearthed is also a case to discuss and in itself shows a very narrow minded view to real life and what on earth has class got to do with anything... a lot of white collar crime is carried out by extremely powerful people - Euro MPs come to mind, British MP's, high ranking business people etc...
However as so far as the thief is concerned, £60 is £60k and stealing from those who trusted in her and offered her experience should be punishable. Let her off? What message does that send out?
Punish hard but offer an olive branch once the punishment has been served and maybe give her a second chance?
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May Slaughter | 10-Jul-2008 5:01 pm
Are you serious?
John, surely you're kidding? Why ON EARTH would they want to employ her once she's come out of the young offenders institute? She robbed the firm blind when she was there, and wasn't even an employee in the first place.
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kkds | 10-Jul-2008 7:49 pm
re: white collar crime
People stealing from their employers?
'twas ever thus
Brigadier Papa will reap the benefits.
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Anonymous | 11-Jul-2008 9:25 am
'Non traditional' backgrounds
The person who suggested that it is to do with someone's culture and Nigerian culture teaches fraud and crime needs to go back to reading the Daily Mail because their assertion is absolutely ridiculous.
If you want to go down that route then Pakistani culture must teach their citizens to be terrorists, Eastern European culture teaches their citizens to be people smugglers etc etc.
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Richard | 11-Jul-2008 10:08 am
Think of this
Don't you all think this has been done on purpose? Just to make everyone see how great Freshfields is as a law firm and we all feel sorry for them ? Mind over matter....
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