Three people have been arrested as part of an investigation into alleged financial irregularities at the University of Greater Manchester, including allegations of fraud, money laundering and bribery.
Two men in their 60s and one woman in her 50s are being questioned in police custody, as Greater Manchester Police’s major incident team continues its probe into an alleged £1 million of “fraudulent activity”.
All three have been arrested on suspicion of money laundering. The men have also been arrested on suspicion of fraud and one of the men is additionally being held on suspicion of bribery.
It follows raids on five properties – two in Bolton, one in Lancashire, one in Humberside, and one in West Yorkshire – a year on from reports by local news outlet the Manchester Mill described alleged financial misconduct at the university.
Assistant chief constable Rick Jackson, who leads on crime, intelligence and forensics at the police department, said: “This is a key development in this significant and complex investigation which is seeing our detectives conduct painstaking work. This is a lengthy operation, and we are following every line of enquiry to ensure we are in a position to compile the strongest possible evidence for a potential prosecution.
