A former senior education figure from a prestigious Cardiff college has appeared in court facing multiple theft and fraud allegations involving millions of pounds in missing funds.
Yasmin Sarwar, aged 48, has been charged with nine offences related to the alleged misappropriation of more than £5 million from Cardiff Sixth Form College, where she held a directorial position alongside her spouse.
The defendant served as Chief Education Officer at Oxford International College between 2017 and 2024, having previously worked at the Cardiff institution before taking up that role.
Her tenure at the Brighton-based independent boarding establishment included involvement in establishing its operations at the historic 23-acre Ovingdean Hall property, which welcomed its first students in 2023.
The defendant has entered pleas of not guilty to all counts.
Proceedings at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court revealed that her husband admitted to removing £5 million from the college during a period spanning February 2008 through October 2016.
The prosecution outlined how the pair allegedly exploited the educational institution for personal financial gain, diverting charitable resources to fund an extravagant standard of living.
Cardiff Sixth Form College had developed into one of the nation’s leading sixth-form providers, drawing tuition-paying pupils internationally and earning worldwide acclaim for examination outcomes.
The court was informed that the defendant commenced her career at the institution as an A-Level instructor before assisting in its establishment as a registered charitable organisation.
It was claimed that the pair systematically redirected college-generated revenue for their private purposes.
The prosecution stated that their exploitation of charitable assets proved so extensive and sustained that external accountants appointed by the college found it impossible to prepare accurate audited financial statements.
The couple subsequently recruited accountant Ragu Sivapalan, aged 41, who according to the prosecution accepted information presented to him without sufficient scrutiny and generated deceptive financial documentation.
The case contends that the defendant established two businesses, Ayass Ltd and Ayass Guardianship Ltd, which were promoted as delivering welfare provisions and additional services to students.
However, evidence presented indicated that these same services were actually being provided directly by the college while substantial sums were redirected to the corporate entities.
The court heard these businesses allegedly served as vehicles to extract significant funds from the charitable organisation following the breakdown of the defendant’s marriage to Nadeem Sarwar during divorce proceedings.
Concerns regarding financial management surfaced after Gareth Collier took up the position of head of pastoral services in 2015.
The prosecution detailed how he grew suspicious upon being instructed to repay overseas travel expenditure from a package reportedly containing cash.
He also observed bank records showing £25,000 disbursements designated as commission payments.
When Mr Collier voiced his concerns, the defendant allegedly attributed the financial discrepancies to her former husband’s actions.
Further examination of the college’s finances intensified following administrative delays in submitting required documentation, attracting attention from regulatory authorities.
Finance assistant Hindia Ahmed reportedly raised questions regarding £1.8 million that could not be accounted for ahead of a scheduled inspection.
She subsequently reported being pressured to endorse a confidentiality agreement.
Sivapalan, residing in Penylan, Cardiff, has already entered a guilty plea to charges of causing an auditor’s report to incorporate misleading, false, or deceptive information during the period spanning January 2013 to July 2016.
Following her involvement with Cardiff Sixth Form College, the defendant progressed to a senior position at Oxford International College, holding the chief education officer post for seven years.
Records indicate she oversaw implementation of the institution’s Strategic Global Pathways curriculum, contributing to the college’s ascent to the pinnacle of UK A-Level performance tables in 2019.
Data shows the proportion of top grades rose from 71.4 percent in 2017 to exceed 92 percent by 2019.
Her professional portfolio also includes advisory work with Wycombe Abbey Schools across Asia, where she contributed to educational programme development and initiatives aimed at enhancing academic achievement and university placement rates.
The defendant, from Cyncoed, Cardiff, maintains her innocence regarding all allegations.
Legal proceedings are anticipated to continue for approximately ten weeks.