Kirkwall woman jailed for fraud

A Kirkwall woman who attempted to swindle more than £1.5million by depositing fraudulent cheques has been jailed for two years from today’s date. 

Lisa Margaret Groundwater, 38, was sentenced at Kirkwall Sheriff Court this Wednesday.

Groundwater previously admitted forming a fraudulent scheme by depositing five cheques at Royal Bank of Scotland over the course of nine weeks, to a total sum of £1,527,050.

These cheques were deposited under the pretence that Groundwater had sufficient funds in various bank accounts in her name and in the name of her husband, Kevin, 45.

According to the charge, a total of £485,021.99 was not recovered by Royal Bank of Scotland, to its loss.

Both Mr and Mrs Groundwater were arrested on suspicion of fraud in September 2020. It was confirmed last month that all charged against Kevin Groundwater had been dropped.

It has since emerged that the Groundwaters have a nine-year history of civil legal suits against them in the US relating to luxury Florida resort properties. This includes repeated legal action by global media giant Disney.

More in next week’s edition of The Orcadian, available in shops and online from Wednesday, March 23.