Chelsea employee admits defrauding club out of more than £200,000 over four-year spell

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Claire Walsh, 39, worked as an assistant treasury manager at the Premier League club

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A Chelsea employee has admitted defrauding the club out of more than £200,000.

Claire Walsh, 39, pleaded guilty to a charge of fraud by abuse of position between June 8, 2019 and October 23, 2023.

Walsh, who worked as an assistant treasury manager at the Premier League club, admitted dishonestly abusing her position to obtain £208,521.65 for herself.

Asked what plea she would enter at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Friday, Walsh, of Elm Park Gardens, Chelsea, said “guilty”.

Magistrate Kieran O’Donnell told Walsh: “You’ve been charged with an offence of fraud which exceeds £200,000 against Chelsea Football Club.

“You’ve pleaded guilty to the offence and it exceeds our powers in terms of sentencing.

“You’ll need to be sent to a crown court for sentencing, where they have the appropriate powers.”

A court clerk told Walsh that she was accused of committing “fraud in that, while occupying a position, namely assistant treasury manager, in which you were expected to safeguard, or not to act against, the financial interests of Chelsea Football Club, you dishonestly abused that position intending thereby to make a gain, namely obtaining the sum of £208,521.65, for yourself.”

Walsh, who was released on unconditional bail, will be sentenced at Isleworth Crown Court at a later date to be determined.

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