A military clerk who embezzled nearly £1 million from the Ministry of Defence (MoD) by submitting false expense claims has been sentenced to prison.
Aaron Stelmach-Purdie, a former corporal, received a sentence of three years and four months for fraud and money laundering at Southwark Crown Court on Tuesday.
The 34-year-old, hailing from Oldham in Lancashire, perpetrated the fraud over a period exceeding a year, from November 2014 to January 2016, while serving as a clerk at the MoD’s central London administrative headquarters.
He exploited the MoD’s online system for processing staff expense and allowance claims, swindling the government out of £911,677, with £557,093 of that sum being personally retained, the court was informed.
Stelmach-Purdie, who enlisted in the army at age 16 and served in both Northern Ireland and Afghanistan, reportedly traveled to Turkey to fund hair transplants, dental whitening, and abdominal surgeries with the illicit funds, as detailed in court.
A police raid on his residence uncovered luxury items including a Louis Vuitton luggage set and nine pairs of Christian Louboutin shoes.
Alongside Stelmach-Purdie, five other military clerks from the Regent’s Park Barracks—former sergeant Roger Clerice, 28, Allan O’Neil, 48, Lee Richards, 41, Anthony Sharwood, 38, and Peter Wilson, 55—were also sentenced after being found guilty of money laundering and conspiracy to commit fraud.
Judge Philip Bartle KC remarked that Stelmach-Purdie took a “prominent role in the fraud,” noting that he had been a “successful and accomplished soldier” prior to his offenses.
During sentencing, the judge stated: “Stelmach-Purdie was pivotal to the execution of these frauds, which could not have occurred without his participation. Without his involvement, the other defendants would not have engaged in the criminal activities.”
He was charged with managing and overseeing the claims for expenses and allowances, under the watch of his superiors.
To conceal the stolen funds, Stelmach-Purdie utilized the bank accounts of others and deceived his mother, sister, and a friend regarding the source of the money, according to court testimony.
Following the initiation of an investigation, Stelmach-Purdie claimed in an interview that he became “aware of individuals making unauthorized claims for allowances” after taking on an administrative role post his “traumatizing tours in Afghanistan.”
He received a dishonorable discharge from the military in January 2016 after being convicted on multiple charges of sexual activity with a minor.
In August 2023, he admitted guilt to seven charges of conspiracy to commit fraud and one charge of money laundering.
A confiscation order hearing is scheduled for 12 September at Southwark Crown Court.
