Oxfam chief to stand trial for fraud

Oxfam’s head of counter-fraud operations – whose specialities included fighting fraud, bribery, corruption and sexual exploitation – is to stand trial at the Old Bailey after being charged with swindling the charity out of more than £60,000.
Edward McKenzie-Green is accused of stealing the cash while working for the aid organisation, while his father Edward Green is accused of laundering £35,000 of the proceeds of the fraud. Both have entered not guilty pleas.
McKenzie-Green, of Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire, appeared at the Old Bailey yesterday but his father, who lives near Glasgow, was excused from attending.
McKenzie-Green, who has worked in the anti-fraud division at both Carphone Warehouse and Marks & Spencer, is also accused of stealing a laptop from Oxfam offices in 2011. He denies fraud by abuse of position and theft by employee.
According to press reports, McKenzie-Green boasted of his anti-fraud expertise on a social networking site, where he claimed to have created an effective whistle-blowing policy that brought the dismissal of seven employees.
He claims to have received plaudits for his part in recovering £440,000 from a fraud and to have brought in complex vetting systems to the organisation.
Judge Nicholas Hilliard QC set a trial date for March next year. It is expected to last up to three weeks.