‘Hand in till’ boss facing jail over £150m swindle
A company chief who enjoyed a lifestyle of "unbelievable extravagance" is facing jail today for his part in a £150 million swindle.
Three thousand investors put money into the Imperial Consolidated Group with the promise of massive returns while the company haemorrhaged money.
William Godley, 62, pictured, former head of international sales at Imperial's Bahamas office, is the only director to face jail after pleading guilty to conspiracy to defraud at Blackfriars crown court.
Money was no object as he wined and dined clients, bought top of the range cars for directors and set up his family in an expensive flat in Nassau.
One colleague said that when the outlay was queried Godley, of Petersfield, Hampshire, said: "Don't worry, I can put my hand in the till and take what I want."
Imperial had offices in Europe, Australia and the Caribbean with a UK boss operating from converted RAF base in Binbrook, Lincolnshire.
As mass redundancies loomed Godley threw a huge party, determined to go out with a bang. After an eight-year investigation by the Serious Fraud Office, two other executives were cleared when two juries failed to reach verdicts. It is thought the trials cost the taxpayer £20 million.
Neither jury was told Godley had pleaded guilty before the first trial in 2008.
