Cardiff Sixth Form College former director admits multi-million pound theft

Two people have pleaded guilty to charges relating to a multi-million pound fraud at Cardiff Sixth Form College.

Former director and trustee Nadeem Sarwar from Pentwyn, Cardiff, pleaded guilty to stealing a total of not less than £5m between 19 February 2008 and 31 October 2016.

The 50-year-old admitted to the theft charge during an appearance at Merthyr Crown Court.

Ragu Sivapalan, 41, from Penylan, Cardiff, pleaded guilty to causing an auditor’s report on a company’s annual accounts to include misleading, false or deceptive information between January 2013 and July 2016.

Both men will be sentenced at a later date.

Judge Celia Hughes told Sarwar there was a “substantial chance” he would be going to prison before granting him conditional bail.

Sivapalan was granted unconditional bail.

A third defendant, Yasmin Sarwar, from Cyncoed, Cardiff, who was also a director and trustee at the college, is facing nine theft and fraud charges between 2008 and 2016 totalling more than £5m.

The 48-year-old is due to face a trial in the coming days.

A Level students students pay more than £30,000 in annual fees at the independent college, or in excess of £70,000 for boarders.