A woman has been accused of pretending to be a charity executive to fraudulently order around £10,000 worth of defibrillators, a court in Wales has heard. Kimberly Lloyd, 35, allegedly used the name of Sherilyn Hamilton-Shaw, a director at Cariad Medical Ltd, to make the purchases. The defibrillators were delivered to Lloyd’s grandparents’ address, following which the charity directors received an invoice for items they had no knowledge of.
During the trial at Newport Crown Court, it was revealed that Lloyd is facing two counts of fraud for the incidents that are said to have taken place in November 2021. The prosecutor, Megan Jones, stated that Lloyd created a false email in Mrs. Hamilton-Shaw’s name to place orders for the defibrillators. While an initial order was made to Zoll Medical for £26,735 worth of defibrillators, only five were in stock, resulting in £4,452 worth of equipment being sent to Lloyd’s grandparents’ home.
Further, an order for £6,252 worth of defibrillators and accessories in Mrs. Hamilton-Shaw’s name was not fulfilled as the company was alerted by the complainant’s husband and co-director Anthony Hamilton-Shaw. Jones argued that the case involved dishonesty and required planning and effort from Lloyd, who set up a false email and had the equipment delivered to her grandparents’ address.
Lloyd admitted to setting up a false email address and using her grandparents’ address but claimed it was to investigate whether the charity directors were “manipulating the marketplace.” Despite the alleged fraud, the charity directors did not lose any money as a result. Following a search warrant at Lloyd’s home, she paid off the balance of one of the orders on the same day and the remaining balance on a later date.
The trial is ongoing, with the prosecution asserting that Lloyd’s actions were dishonest from the beginning and that she was ultimately caught in her fraudulent activities. The defence appears to suggest that Lloyd’s intent was not to defraud but to uncover potential marketplace manipulation by the charity directors. As the case continues to unfold, more details are expected to emerge regarding the alleged fraud scheme orchestrated by Lloyd.
This incident serves as a reminder of the importance of ethical conduct and transparency in financial transactions, especially when dealing with charitable organisations and life-saving medical equipment. The allegations against Lloyd highlight the potential consequences of engaging in fraudulent activities and the need for accountability in all business dealings. The court proceedings will shed further light on the motives behind Lloyd’s actions and determine the appropriate outcome based on the evidence presented.