After investigation by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) five employees of a St Albans wine company are go on trial for conspiracy to defraud.

The trial of Shameen Suleman, Stephanie Callebaut, Haroon Khatab, Donald Thomas and Richard Gunter of Vintage Wines of St Albans will start next year at London’s Southwark Crown Court,

SFO is continuing to investigate an associate company, Vintage Hallmark, of St James’s Street one of London’s most expensive shopping districts. An SFO spokesperson said, ‘The Serious Fraud Office is investigating a serious or complex fraud in relation to Vintage Hallmark plc, in liquidation.’ As yet no charges have been made.

In another development involving the SFO, Craig Dean, who was convicted and imprisoned for three years in 2001 for his part in the House of Delacroix millennium Champagne fraud, lost his appeal in London’s High Court against his confiscation order.

Written by Jim Budd

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Jim Budd
Jim Budd
Decanter Magazine, Wine Writer & Photographer

Jim Budd moved from education to wine in 1988 and has written for Decanter since 1989. He is the former editor (1991-2015) of Circle Update, the newsletter of the Circle of Wine Writers.  He writes the award-winning www.jimsloire.blogspot.com and is one of the five members of the Les 5 du Vin blog. Budd exposes the dangers of drinks investment on his award-winning www.investdrinks.org website, and complementary www.investdrinks-blog.blogspot.com blog. He also contributes to Hugh Johnson’s Pocket Wine Book, Wine Behind the Label and the Academie du Vin. Budd is a keen photographer – especially in the Loire.