Couple accused of siphoning over £5 million from UK sixth-form college
Yasmin Sarwar and her husband Nadeem Sarwar are on trial for allegedly stealing more than £5 million from Cardiff Sixth Form College, which they founded as a charity.
The Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court heard that Yasmin Sarwar, dubbed a “Tiger Mum,” and her husband Nadeem Sarwar established Cardiff Sixth Form College as a charitable sixth-form school and then allegedly looted its accounts of more than £5 million between February 2008 and October 2016. Nadeem Sarwar has pleaded guilty to the theft, whereas Yasmin Sarwar faces nine counts of theft and fraud, which she denies. Prosecutor Mark Cotter KC described the couple’s actions as a relentless assault on the college’s finances, leaving the original accountant unable to produce audited statements.
They allegedly hired accountant Ragu Sivapalan to file misleading reports and placed relatives on the board to conceal the fraud. The college, which attracted over 300 international students, was once praised for its academic performance and global reputation.
Why it matters
The case highlights how charitable educational institutions can be vulnerable to large-scale fraud, eroding public trust and prompting calls for stronger oversight.
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