Michael Brown (Liberal Democrat)
Encyclopedia
Michael Robert Alexander Brown (born 19 April 1966 in Glasgow
), is a Scottish
convicted fraudster, who between 10 February and 30 March 2005 donated £2.4 million to the Liberal Democrats
. He was the largest donor the party had ever had, giving ten times more than anything it had received before.
and St Andrews University. In actual fact, he had failed his maths O Level at his local school, and did a City and Guilds in catering at Glasgow College of Food Technology.
Brown resided in Majorca, Spain
and claimed to have been an international bond trader
, whose clients were "vetted" by US
embassy officials and Special Branch
before he accepted their money. Brown's clients include former Manchester United chairman Martin Edwards
, from whom he was later found guilty of defrauding £8million out of a total deception of £36million.
In June 2008, after being charged on various counts of fraud and money laundering
, Brown fled bail and an arrest warrant
was subsequently issued for his arrest
. Brown was last known to live in Templewood Avenue, Hampstead
, north-west London. He told various former clients he had been suffering from cancer
, then took the surname Campbell-Brown and stopped shaving
, before he disappeared. Neighbours of his Hampstead flat said that in the weeks before he disappeared he had changed his appearance by growing a full beard instead of his usual goatee and allowed his usually blond-dyed hair to turn grey. His lawyer disputed claims that Brown changed his appearance to abscond, but Brown has not been seen since.
The City of London police conducted an extensive search both in the UK and abroad, including the home of Paul Strasburger
, the fellow Lib Dem donor who put up bail for Brown prior to his disappearance.
Brown is believed to have reappeared in the Caribbean in late 2008. Credit cards connected to Brown were used there in September and October 2008 in Antigua and Barbuda, according to reports by a team of private detectives working for two of Brown's creditors. Records seen by The Observer newspaper showed that a credit card in the name of M. Campbell-Brown—a name used by Brown in the weeks before he disappeared—was used in Antigua and Barbuda at two cash dispensers during this period.
In a brazen move, Brown directed his solicitor, Jamil Ahmud, to issue a statement on his behalf that he had not used any credit cards in the past three years in the Caribbean.
Brown's wife of 15 years, Sharon Campbell, remained in Spain. Unlike Brown, she was free to live at their home in Mallorca. However, Spanish police are also believed to be involved in the inquiry.
In September 2011, it was reported by the Guardian that Brown is living in the Dominican Republic
under a false identity.
Crown Court
Judge Wadsworth decided that the trial could proceed in the defendant's absence and as private funding had run out to his legal team, Brown would be eligible for Legal aid
.
In November 2008, a trial was held in the Crown Court in absentia. The jury was told Brown carefully crafted an "illusion of wealth and influence" designed to give him social acceptability which he craved, which included pretending his father was a Lord, claimed connections with royalty, and promised investors returns of up to 50%. Martin Edmunds, QC, prosecuting, said after defrauding Edwards of £36million, he used the money to fund an "extravagant lifestyle," pay business expenses and keep other investors happy with "pretend" returns. Brown rented a £49,000-a-year Mayfair
apartment where he "conducted negotiations" with Mr Edwards, an impressive office in the same area, a Range Rover
with the number plate 5 AVE, a Bentley
and a Porsche
. Brown also spent £2.5m on a private jet, £400,000 on an ocean-going yacht and £327,000 on an entertainment system for his home in Majorca.
On 28 November 2008, the jury took nine-and-a-half hours to unanimously convict him on four counts - two thefts, one of furnishing false information and one of perverting the course of justice between 9 February 2005 and 17 April 2006. He was convicted in his absence and sentenced to seven years.
in London ruled that the company which Brown used to donate the money to the Liberal Democrats, 5th Avenue Partners had never traded in bonds.
The Electoral Commission issued a statement stating:
Robert Mann, a Los Angeles lawyer, has issued a High Court writ demanding £683,000 from the Lib Dems claiming that they allowed their desire for the windfall to overcome any doubts about its source.
On 20 November 2009, the Electoral Commission issued a press release, stating that:
A full case summary was also made available on the Commission's website.
In April, 2010, the fugutive fraudster, Michael Brown, was one of the subjects of Britain's first televised election debate.
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
), is a Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
convicted fraudster, who between 10 February and 30 March 2005 donated £2.4 million to the Liberal Democrats
Liberal Democrats
The Liberal Democrats are a social liberal political party in the United Kingdom which supports constitutional and electoral reform, progressive taxation, wealth taxation, human rights laws, cultural liberalism, banking reform and civil liberties .The party was formed in 1988 by a merger of the...
. He was the largest donor the party had ever had, giving ten times more than anything it had received before.
Biography
Born in Glasgow, Scotland, Michael Brown claimed to have been the son of a Lord and to have attended GordonstounGordonstoun
Gordonstoun School is a co-educational independent school for boarding and day pupils in Moray in North East Scotland. Named after the estate originally owned by Sir Robert Gordon in the 1600s, the school now uses this estate as its campus...
and St Andrews University. In actual fact, he had failed his maths O Level at his local school, and did a City and Guilds in catering at Glasgow College of Food Technology.
Brown resided in Majorca, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
and claimed to have been an international bond trader
Bond market
The bond market is a financial market where participants can issue new debt, known as the primary market, or buy and sell debt securities, known as the Secondary market, usually in the form of bonds. The primary goal of the bond market is to provide a mechanism for long term funding of public and...
, whose clients were "vetted" by US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
embassy officials and Special Branch
Special Branch
Special Branch is a label customarily used to identify units responsible for matters of national security in British and Commonwealth police forces, as well as in the Royal Thai Police...
before he accepted their money. Brown's clients include former Manchester United chairman Martin Edwards
Martin Edwards
Charles Martin Edwards was the chairman of Manchester United from 1980 until 2002. He now holds the position of honorary life president at the club.- Education :...
, from whom he was later found guilty of defrauding £8million out of a total deception of £36million.
In June 2008, after being charged on various counts of fraud and money laundering
Money laundering
Money laundering is the process of disguising illegal sources of money so that it looks like it came from legal sources. The methods by which money may be laundered are varied and can range in sophistication. Many regulatory and governmental authorities quote estimates each year for the amount...
, Brown fled bail and an arrest warrant
Arrest warrant
An arrest warrant is a warrant issued by and on behalf of the state, which authorizes the arrest and detention of an individual.-Canada:Arrest warrants are issued by a judge or justice of the peace under the Criminal Code of Canada....
was subsequently issued for his arrest
Arrest
An arrest is the act of depriving a person of his or her liberty usually in relation to the purported investigation and prevention of crime and presenting into the criminal justice system or harm to oneself or others...
. Brown was last known to live in Templewood Avenue, Hampstead
Hampstead
Hampstead is an area of London, England, north-west of Charing Cross. Part of the London Borough of Camden in Inner London, it is known for its intellectual, liberal, artistic, musical and literary associations and for Hampstead Heath, a large, hilly expanse of parkland...
, north-west London. He told various former clients he had been suffering from cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
, then took the surname Campbell-Brown and stopped shaving
Shaving
Shaving is the removal of hair, by using a razor or any other kind of bladed implement, to slice it down to the level of the skin. Shaving is most commonly practiced by men to remove their facial hair and by women to remove their leg and underarm hair...
, before he disappeared. Neighbours of his Hampstead flat said that in the weeks before he disappeared he had changed his appearance by growing a full beard instead of his usual goatee and allowed his usually blond-dyed hair to turn grey. His lawyer disputed claims that Brown changed his appearance to abscond, but Brown has not been seen since.
The City of London police conducted an extensive search both in the UK and abroad, including the home of Paul Strasburger
Paul Strasburger, Baron Strasburger
Paul Cline Strasburger, Baron Strasburger is a Liberal Democrat politician, millionaire philanthropist and semi-retired businessman.-Involvement with the Liberal Democrats:Strasburger first became involved in the Liberal Democrats in 2005...
, the fellow Lib Dem donor who put up bail for Brown prior to his disappearance.
Brown is believed to have reappeared in the Caribbean in late 2008. Credit cards connected to Brown were used there in September and October 2008 in Antigua and Barbuda, according to reports by a team of private detectives working for two of Brown's creditors. Records seen by The Observer newspaper showed that a credit card in the name of M. Campbell-Brown—a name used by Brown in the weeks before he disappeared—was used in Antigua and Barbuda at two cash dispensers during this period.
In a brazen move, Brown directed his solicitor, Jamil Ahmud, to issue a statement on his behalf that he had not used any credit cards in the past three years in the Caribbean.
Brown's wife of 15 years, Sharon Campbell, remained in Spain. Unlike Brown, she was free to live at their home in Mallorca. However, Spanish police are also believed to be involved in the inquiry.
In September 2011, it was reported by the Guardian that Brown is living in the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
under a false identity.
Fraud trial
In August 2008 SouthwarkSouthwark
Southwark is a district of south London, England, and the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Southwark. Situated east of Charing Cross, it forms one of the oldest parts of London and fronts the River Thames to the north...
Crown Court
Crown Court
The Crown Court of England and Wales is, together with the High Court of Justice and the Court of Appeal, one of the constituent parts of the Senior Courts of England and Wales...
Judge Wadsworth decided that the trial could proceed in the defendant's absence and as private funding had run out to his legal team, Brown would be eligible for Legal aid
Legal aid
Legal aid is the provision of assistance to people otherwise unable to afford legal representation and access to the court system. Legal aid is regarded as central in providing access to justice by ensuring equality before the law, the right to counsel and the right to a fair trial.A number of...
.
In November 2008, a trial was held in the Crown Court in absentia. The jury was told Brown carefully crafted an "illusion of wealth and influence" designed to give him social acceptability which he craved, which included pretending his father was a Lord, claimed connections with royalty, and promised investors returns of up to 50%. Martin Edmunds, QC, prosecuting, said after defrauding Edwards of £36million, he used the money to fund an "extravagant lifestyle," pay business expenses and keep other investors happy with "pretend" returns. Brown rented a £49,000-a-year Mayfair
Mayfair
Mayfair is an area of central London, within the City of Westminster.-History:Mayfair is named after the annual fortnight-long May Fair that took place on the site that is Shepherd Market today...
apartment where he "conducted negotiations" with Mr Edwards, an impressive office in the same area, a Range Rover
Range Rover
The Range Rover is a large luxury four-wheel drive sport utility vehicle produced by British car maker Land Rover. The model, launched in 1970, is now in its third generation...
with the number plate 5 AVE, a Bentley
Bentley
Bentley Motors Limited is a British manufacturer of automobiles founded on 18 January 1919 by Walter Owen Bentley known as W.O. Bentley or just "W O". Bentley had been previously known for his range of rotary aero-engines in World War I, the most famous being the Bentley BR1 as used in later...
and a Porsche
Porsche
Porsche Automobil Holding SE, usually shortened to Porsche SE a Societas Europaea or European Public Company, is a German based holding company with investments in the automotive industry....
. Brown also spent £2.5m on a private jet, £400,000 on an ocean-going yacht and £327,000 on an entertainment system for his home in Majorca.
On 28 November 2008, the jury took nine-and-a-half hours to unanimously convict him on four counts - two thefts, one of furnishing false information and one of perverting the course of justice between 9 February 2005 and 17 April 2006. He was convicted in his absence and sentenced to seven years.
Electoral Commission on donation to Liberal Democrat party
Because he was residing in Majorca, Spain, at the time of the donation, and was not registered to vote in the United Kingdom, Michael Brown used a company name as the official legal donor. In October 2006 the High CourtHigh Court of Justice
The High Court of Justice is, together with the Court of Appeal and the Crown Court, one of the Senior Courts of England and Wales...
in London ruled that the company which Brown used to donate the money to the Liberal Democrats, 5th Avenue Partners had never traded in bonds.
The Electoral Commission issued a statement stating:
Robert Mann, a Los Angeles lawyer, has issued a High Court writ demanding £683,000 from the Lib Dems claiming that they allowed their desire for the windfall to overcome any doubts about its source.
On 20 November 2009, the Electoral Commission issued a press release, stating that:
A full case summary was also made available on the Commission's website.
In April, 2010, the fugutive fraudster, Michael Brown, was one of the subjects of Britain's first televised election debate.