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Former Bolton Council employee jailed for stealing nearly £900k from client benefits accounts

He had been transferring the money to his own accounts for a number of years.

Emily Sergeant - 19th February 2026

A former Bolton Council employee has been sentenced to jail this week after admitting to stealing from client benefits accounts.

Richard Shaw transferred £893,296 to himself from benefit claimants’ accounts held by Bolton Council between 2015 and 2023 – which he had been managing as part of the Council’s Financial Protection Team, before he was subsequently suspended when mismanagement of appointeeship cases was discovered.

He was then sacked for gross misconduct in March 2023, after the Council identified and reported the possible fraud to Greater Manchester Police (GMP).

A lengthy investigation by GMP’s Economic and Cyber Crime Unit then began, with ‘full cooperation’ from Bolton Council, which went on to show that Shaw had been transferring the money to his own accounts for a number of years.

He also transferred money between clients’ accounts in an attempt to hide his fraud.

Investigations in 2023 showed several bank transfers to nine personal accounts held in Richard Shaw’s name – with just over £250,000 transferred to one account, and £215,000 to another.

During the investigation, it was established that Shaw spent £100,000 buying a holiday home in Lancashire, and almost £18,000 on garden improvements.

It is estimated to Shaw’s failure to act in the best interest of his clients meant he lost them a total of £129,749 in unclaimed benefits.

Two BMW cars and several high-value items – including computers and bikes – were seized during a warrant at Shaw’s home address of Harrier Close in Bolton on 27 April 2023, when he was initially arrested on suspicion of fraud by abuse of position and money laundering. 

Shaw failed to attend his first court appearance on 23 September 2025 and was then arrested on the same day in Blackpool. He initially denied fraud by abuse of position, but then went on to change his plea to guilty at Bolton Crown Court in December 2025.

He was finally jailed for four years and eight months at Bolton Crown Court yesterday (18 February 2026).

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Speaking following Shaw’s sentencing this week, Detective Sergeant Daniel Sanchez, from GMP’s Economic and Cyber Crime Unit, said: “In his role as an appointee officer, Shaw was responsible for managing 120 client cases. Shaw abused his position of trust within the council, transferring clients’ money to accounts he had set up in his own name.

“His systematic theft and haphazard spending was uncovered by our financial investigator.

“There will now be a Proceeds of Crime hearing to reclaim the rest of the money so the council can be reimbursed.”

Featured Image – GMP