Surgery manager Stole £700,000 to Gamble, Goes to Jail

A 44-year-old former surgery manager stole more than £700,000 from NHS payments to gamble, diverting cash to her bank account from funds earmarked for wages, supplies, and medicine.

Karen Evans stole the funds, which she used to pay bills, go on holiday, and (mostly) gamble online. She used stolen funds to wager at Gala Bingo, BetFred, and SkyBet. Her addiction was so bad that at one point she won £120,000 and a free bottle of champagne, only to lose it all back a few days later. She falsified more than 320 patient records, including marking some patients as end of life care when they weren't there.

The prosecutor of the case Duncan Wilcock spoke about the deal, noting: "There were 323 patient records that had been falsified - nine where marked as end of life care but they were not end of life care patients.

"The doctor had to reassure them that they weren't in an end of life situation. 'When the bank accounts were looked at it was found that money was spent on online gambling including Sky Bet, Gala Bingo and Bet Fred.

"Whatever she won it would appear she was simply putting them back on again. 'She also paid some bills, hair and beauty, and some holidays in the UK and abroad - but the majority went on gambling."

Evans was given a jail sentence of more than three years, and Judge Maurice Greene said, "It is quite clear that you are a lady with a gambling addiction and have accepted that. You are remorseful now and you do accept the need for treatment for gambling addiction but it is quite worrying that you could clock up well over half a million in a 15-month period. It's so easy to gamble in this way and to lose money so quickly and that is what has happened."

If you or anyone you know is experiencing gambling addiction, we at Casino Listings urge you to get professional help. We have a Problem Gambling page full of resources to help you find the assistance you need.