Paul Flowers scandal widens as £75,000 charity false expenses claim revealed

Amid his drug shame scandal, disgraced former Co-op bank boss Paul Flowers was also allegedly involved in £75,000 charity false expenses.

13:48 21 November 2013

Drugs charity LifeLine’s chief executive Ian Wardle has said that former Co-op bank boss Paul Flowers, who resigned in June after a £1.5bn black hole was discovered in its finances, is also involved in £75,000 charity false expenses claim.

Wardle added that in 2004, he raised questions over Mr Flower’s claims and an investigation followed.

He said: "I developed concerns at the beginning of 2004 about some of the claims which had been made and I spoke to our treasurer at the time and we then involved our solicitor and then to cut a long story short in June 2004 I raised the matter formally, fully and in depth with our trustee body.

"Our trustee body suspended Reverend Flowers and then we investigated the claims and we investigated five years of claims."

Flowers is currently being investigated by authorities after he was filmed allegedly buying and using illegal drugs which include crack cocaine, crystal meth, and ketamine – a party drug which is also used a horse tranquilliser.

Meanwhile, David Cameron has announced on Wednesday that Flowers’ appointment to the bank together with its ailing finances will be investigated.