Dragons’ Den stars Peter Jones and Theo Paphitis have been scammed out of nearly £33,000 by their own accountant at their shared company Red Letter Days.
Finance officer Akilan Selvathiravam, 34, is likely to go to prison after admitting to defrauding Peter and Theo for two months.
Akilan admitted to scamming them out of money to fund his own gambling addiction.
The accountant’s job involved handling cash and cheques for the Dragons’ business, but he was eventually found to be forging cheques to pocket them for himself. Prosecutor Linda Shamel told Wood Green crown court: “He falsified cheques and signatures, claiming they were corporate refunds and then cashed them. There were a large number falsified.
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“He admitted doing it because he had a gambling addiction.”
A source told The Sun: “Peter and Theo are business giants known for their impeccable standards and ethics. They will be hugely embarrassed this happened at one of their companies.”
Although Akilan has been bailed until 23rd August for probation reports, Judge Joanna Greenberg QC told the court: “This was a serious offence, a breach of trust over considerable time. Custody is the most likely outcome.”
According to The Sunday Times Rich List that was released this year Peter has a net worth of £475 million while Theo’s stands at £286m.
The pair own Red Letter Days which offers a huge variety of experiences that can be bought as gifts and sent via letter pack to the recipient. The company was set up in 1989 but the stars bought it in 2005 after it went into administration under the ownership of fellow Dragons’ Den judge Rachel Elnaugh.
The 14th series of Dragons’ Den finished earlier this year and the new series is set to start soon. In the first picture released to promote the new series Peter Jones can be seen in the lineup of judges, joined by Touker Suleyman and Deborah Meaden as well as newbies Jenny Campbell and Tej Lalvani.
Theo Paphitis left the show in 2012, after spending eight years as one of the main judges. He is nationally known for his big investments in companies including Ryman, La Senza and Robert Dyas. In 2011 he launched the global lingerie brand Boux Avenue.
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His Red Letter Days partner Peter Jones has also made many big investments in well known companies. He has invested in Jessops, Levi Roots and Spoon Cereals to name a few.
Dragons’ Den isn’t the only new series coming back to the BBC, Strictly Come Dancing is set to return this autumn and it was finally revealed this morning that Mollie King from The Saturdays is a definite celeb contestant on the show.
Mollie told Nick Grimshaw on his BBC Radio One show: “I’m a huge fan of Strictly Come Dancing so I can’t actually believe I’m lucky enough to be taking part in it this year!”