Proceeds of Crime news 27 /04/09 MEP pleads not guilty to money laundering allegations

East Anglia MEP Tom Wise has pleaded not guilty to charges of money laundering and false accounting following an investigation by UK police, vowing I am determined to clear my name. He appeared before City of Westminster Magistrates Court today with his former researcher, Lindsay Jenkins, who also denies the same charges.

An article published by the Sunday Telegraph in October 2005 made claims that led OLAF, the European anti-fraud office, to begin an investigation into Mr Wises use of allowances; this investigation was later handed over to the Bedfordshire Economic Crime Unit, who delivered a file on the alleged breaches of money laundering law to the Crown Prosecution Service in March this year.

According to the allegations against the MEP, £36,000 claimed as secretarial allowances were paid into an account that was presented to the EU Parliament as being that of Ms Jenkins, but was in fact controlled by Mr Wise. The pair is also accused of using the proceeds of crime thus acquired to buy luxuries, including fine wine, and to pay off debts.

Mr Wises lawyer told the press that his client was not guilty of fraud or money laundering and that he was being unfairly targeted, stating He repaid to the EU all excess money received but not accounted for.

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