A former finance team manager from North London has been handed a prison sentence after defrauding her employer out of nearly £200,000 to bankroll a life of luxury, including exotic holidays and designer shopping sprees.
Anita Mirmohammadi, 31, of Temple Close, Finchley, was sentenced to five years and 10 months in prison at Basildon Crown Court. Her crime? Using her employer’s credit card to fund an extravagant lifestyle, including high-end purchases and international travel.
Mirmohammadi joined the Brentwood-based firm in 2018, where her managerial role in the finance team granted her access to a company credit card. Over the following four years, she exploited that access.
The court heard how Mirmohammadi used the card for personal spending, splashing out on holidays to Dubai, Mexico, and Turkey. She also indulged in designer buys from Harrods, Selfridges and Mercedes-Benz.
But it didn’t stop there. Her regular spending also included transactions at:
- Apple
- Amazon
- eBay
- Uber
- Zara
- Thames Water
- Harley Street Dental
The fraudulent activity went unnoticed until 21 April 2022. During unrelated fraud checks, a suspicious trail of international transactions surfaced. The company contacted its banks, police, and Action Fraud, leading to the discovery of the full extent of the theft.
Police confirmed Mirmohammadi siphoned £184,675.89 from the company. Of that, £126,381.19 came via the credit card, while another £63,294.70 was misappropriated through fake invoice payments from the business account.
She was finally caught after Harrods conducted its own investigation, identifying her on CCTV making a purchase with the corporate card just weeks before her arrest.
Authorities intercepted Mirmohammadi at Gatwick Airport on 22 May 2022 as she returned from a trip to Dubai.
She was charged with fraud by false representation in February 2023. After a seven-day trial, she was found guilty on 14 March 2025.
During sentencing, Judge Shane Collery made no attempt to downplay the severity of the fraud.
“She was not dependent on stealing to survive and her claim that she does care is hard to accept as she gave no thought to the consequences at all,” he said.
“She is a selfish, self-obsessed woman who repeated regular dishonesty, which was systemic and sustained and she must have seen what she was doing.”
Detective Constable Karen Venables, speaking after the sentencing, highlighted the premeditated nature of the fraud.
“This sentence shows the severity of Mirmohmmadi’s offending. This was a calculated, ongoing fraud that would have continued had she not been caught, and I am glad to see the judge recognise this in his sentencing.
It was clear from the deception we found in these accounts that Mirmohammadi knew what she was doing was wrong and was trying to cover her tracks,” she added.
Essex Police have confirmed that work is underway to identify criminal gains that can be recovered under the Proceeds of Crime Act. A confiscation hearing has been scheduled for November 2025 at Basildon Crown Court.
This case is a stark reminder of how trust in the workplace can be exploited. While Mirmohammadi’s actions afforded her years of luxury, the consequences have now caught up. Her sentencing not only serves justice but also underscores the importance of internal financial checks and the vigilance required to prevent corporate fraud.
