Recruitment consultant Etherson sentenced for CV fraud
27 February 2015
Recruitment consultant Ross Etherson who changed the CVs of eight doctors to get them jobs has been given a two-year sentence, suspended for a year, following his conviction for fraud in Isleworth Crown Court.
Fri, 27 Feb 2015
Recruitment consultant Ross Etherson who changed the CVs of eight doctors to get them jobs has been given a two-year sentence, suspended for a year, following his conviction for fraud in Isleworth Crown Court.
Etherson, formerly employed by Midas Medical Recruitment in Chiswick, admitted 21 counts of making or supplying articles for use in fraud in his role of placing sufficiently qualified and experienced doctors in NHS positions.
His actions enabled Midas to claim £37,186 in fees during Etherson’s 11 months with the company in 2009 and 2010, the court heard.
The Mail Online reported that fraud investigators from NHS Protect, which investigates allegations of fraud within the NHS, searched Midas’ Chiswick premises in April 2010, imaged computers and seized papers.
The online publication went on to report that forensic examination of the imaged computer equipment revealed faked reference letters within the CVs made use of at least eight false identities of medical consultants, “either loosely based on real people or entirely made up”.
Etherson’s lawyer, Jocelyn Ledward, alleged her client had been drawn into “a culture of deceit”.
Judge Robin Johnson voiced his concern that no one else in the company had “to my knowledge, even been arrested, let alone tried for this shameful practice”. In his view, Judge Johnson said: “The man that is in the dock is at the lowest end of responsibility for this criminal conduct.”
The assets of Midas Medical Recruitment, “not the actual company”, were purchased from an administrator by Pertemps Network Group in September 2011, a Pertemps spokesperson told Recruiter on Friday. “Indeed, Midas no longer trades as a company, nor does it have any employees,” said the spokesperson.
Companies House documents obtained by Recruiter state that the status of Midas Medical Recruitment Ltd is “active”, with its last accounts made up to 31 December 2013 and next accounts due on 30 September 2015. It has five directors and a secretary, with the latest director appointment made in September 2013.
The Pertemps Network spokesman said that an annual return was a legal requirement.
Etherson, formerly employed by Midas Medical Recruitment in Chiswick, admitted 21 counts of making or supplying articles for use in fraud in his role of placing sufficiently qualified and experienced doctors in NHS positions.
His actions enabled Midas to claim £37,186 in fees during Etherson’s 11 months with the company in 2009 and 2010, the court heard.
The Mail Online reported that fraud investigators from NHS Protect, which investigates allegations of fraud within the NHS, searched Midas’ Chiswick premises in April 2010, imaged computers and seized papers.
The online publication went on to report that forensic examination of the imaged computer equipment revealed faked reference letters within the CVs made use of at least eight false identities of medical consultants, “either loosely based on real people or entirely made up”.
Etherson’s lawyer, Jocelyn Ledward, alleged her client had been drawn into “a culture of deceit”.
Judge Robin Johnson voiced his concern that no one else in the company had “to my knowledge, even been arrested, let alone tried for this shameful practice”. In his view, Judge Johnson said: “The man that is in the dock is at the lowest end of responsibility for this criminal conduct.”
The assets of Midas Medical Recruitment, “not the actual company”, were purchased from an administrator by Pertemps Network Group in September 2011, a Pertemps spokesperson told Recruiter on Friday. “Indeed, Midas no longer trades as a company, nor does it have any employees,” said the spokesperson.
Companies House documents obtained by Recruiter state that the status of Midas Medical Recruitment Ltd is “active”, with its last accounts made up to 31 December 2013 and next accounts due on 30 September 2015. It has five directors and a secretary, with the latest director appointment made in September 2013.
The Pertemps Network spokesman said that an annual return was a legal requirement.
- Want to comment on this story? The Comment box is at the bottom of the page. Sorry for the glitch but just scroll right down and share your opinions!
