The former chairman of Northampton Town FC, a Bushey property developer, and two other men have appeared in court charged with fraud in connection with a £10m stadium redevelopment loan.
David Cardoza spoke simply to confirm his identify and date of birth during a brief hearing at Northampton Magistrates Court yesterday (January 16).
The 54-year-old from Eastbourne, along with four others charged with conspiracy to commit fraud, have had their cases transferred to Northampton Crown Court, where they will appear in February.
Northamptonshire Police announced on Wednesday that Howard Grossman, 63, of Bushey; his son, Marcus Grossman, 37, of Barnet; Cardoza; his father Anthony Cardoza, 80, of Wisbech in Cambridgeshire; and Simon Patnick, 54, of Stanmore, north London, have all been charged with conspiracy to commit fraud by false representation between September 2013 and April 2015.
Police said the accusations stem from allegedly misleading representations made to Northampton Borough Council that money loaned to the football club would be used solely for the development of Sixfields Stadium and an accompanying hotel.
Anthony Cardoza, a former director at Northampton Town, did not have to attend Thursday’s hearing and did not appear in court.
David Cardoza, the club’s director from 2003 to 2015, exited the court without saying anything to reporters.
The Cardozas are also charged with fraud by abuse of position, in violation of Section 1 of the Fraud Act, relating to a payment of £8.75 million from the football club to 1st Land Limited, a firm owned by Howard Grossman.
David Cardoza is also accused of transferring criminal property, specifically £166,000 in a credit balance via bank transfer from Northampton Town Football Club Limited’s bank account, knowing or suspecting that it constitutes or represents, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, the benefit of criminal conduct.
Howard Grossman is also accused of transferring criminal property, specifically £650,000 from his company County Homes (Herts) Ltd’s bank account to his son and fellow director, Hayden Grossman, as well as £10,000 from 1st Land Limited to Simon Patnick and £15,000 from 1st Land Limited to Simpa Investments Limited, a Simon Patnick-owned company.
Mr Grossman and his son Marcus are also accused of transferring illicit property, specifically £20,000, from Marcus Grossman’s account to Simon Patnick with the knowledge or suspicion that it was the result of criminal activity, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly.
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