The former chief executive of a now-defunct Scottish healthcare charity has pled not guilty to a charge of fraud, seven months after the organisation closed due to “a number of significant challenges”.
Nathan Sparling was charged with embezzlement at Edinburgh Sheriff Court last week.
Sparling served as the chief executive of HIV Scotland between 2018 and February 2021 when he stepped down from his role.
HIV Scotland subsequently closed in May after 30 years of operation “due to a number of significant challenges”, which included a mass resignation of trustees amid concerns over advances made to Sparling.
According to the charity’s annual return for the year ending 31 March 2021, Sparling had been advanced £11,540 by the charity in the year ending March 2020, and only returned £5,012.
An internal review in 2022 revealed that Sparling had “entered into a number of transactions that were deemed to be fraudulent”, for a total amount of £10,649, according to the annual report.
The fraud investigation was launched in February 2021 by Police Scotland, which confirmed that the probe relates to the former offices of HIV Scotland.
Sparling’s trial is set for May 2024.