A WOMAN who was defrauded clients of more than £700,000 has been struck by her professional body.

Caprice Lindo, from Bradford, was sentenced to three years and six months in prison at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court last April after she abused her position at law firms, including one practice in Leigh.

The 40-year-old pleaded guilty to money laundering and eight counts of fraud at a previous hearing.

Following an investigation by police, a number of other fraudulent transactions were uncovered and she was arrested in March 2014. 

In total, her crime spree amounted to £719,744.

Lindo, of Brookwater Drive, Shipley, only joined the Leigh firm in October 2013 but left before Christmas that same year.

During this time she was tasked with handling a client’s purchase of a property in Warrington and transferred £151,090 from the client’s account but changed the payee to an associate in Huddersfield. 

The Solicitors Regulatory Authority(SRA) heard how Lindo, who was not a solicitor, but worked in the conveyancing department of Cheshire practice O’Neill Patient Solicitors, had siphoned £569,000 from the client account to send to fellow fraudsters in late 2013.

The SRA confirmed Lindo had then sought employment with other law firms under the alias ‘Chloe Wilson’ until 2017, when she was convicted of four counts of fraud by abuse of position.

The SRA said it was undesirable for Lindo to work in the legal profession again and made her subject to a section 43 notice, effectively stopping her from being employed by any regulated practice without its permission.

The SRA added: “She abused the trust placed in her by the firm and their clients to misappropriate client money for the benefit of herself and others. Her actions were dishonest.”

Lindo will pay £600 costs of the SRA investigation.