The former chairman of Northampton Town FC, David Cardoza, and four other individuals with links to the club’s redevelopment are due to appear in court tomorrow (16 January) on charges relating to an alleged £10.75 million theft and fraud.
Details of the Accused
David Cardoza, 54, of Eastbourne, and his father, Anthony Cardoza, 80, of Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, face charges of fraud and money laundering. Joining them in the dock are:
- Howard Grossman, 63, a property developer from Bushey, Hertfordshire
- Marcus Grossman, 37, also of Bushey
- Simon Patnick, 54, of Stanmore, north London
Charges Filed
All five individuals are charged with conspiracy to commit fraud by false representation between September 2013 and April 2015. The allegations include:
- False representations made to Northampton Borough Council about the intended use of a £10.75m loan for developing Sixfields Stadium and an adjoining hotel, described as “untrue or misleading.
- Fraud by abuse of position, with claims that £8.75m was misappropriated and paid to 1st Land Limited, a company owned by Howard Grossman.
David Cardoza faces an additional charge of transferring criminal property, involving £166,000 moved via a bank transfer from Northampton Town Football Club accounts, allegedly linked to criminal conduct.
Additional Allegations
Howard Grossman is charged with multiple counts of transferring criminal property, including:
- £650,000 transferred from County Homes (Herts) Ltd to his son, Hayden Grossman.
- £10,000 from 1st Land Limited to Simon Patnick.
- £15,000 from 1st Land Limited to Simpa Investments Limited, a company owned by Patnick.
The Grossmans are also accused of transferring £20,000 from Marcus Grossman’s account to Patnick, suspected to represent proceeds from criminal activities.
Patnick faces further charges of acquiring criminal property, including £61,800 via bank transfers allegedly linked to Howard and Marcus Grossman.
Operation Tuckhill Investigation
The charges are part of Operation Tuckhill, Northamptonshire Police’s nine-year investigation into the disappearance of £10.75m loaned by the council to Northampton Town FC for redevelopment projects.
The investigation, initiated after raids on Sixfields Stadium in 2015, has involved:
- 1,000 witness statements
- 4,719 exhibits logged
- Allegations spanning beyond the missing council funds
Court Hearing
Thursday’s hearing at Northampton Magistrates’ Court marks the first time individuals have faced charges directly related to the case.
Background
The funds, originally intended for stadium upgrades and a hotel, vanished in late 2015, sparking one of the largest investigations in Northamptonshire’s history.
Next Steps
The accused will appear in court to face these allegations, with proceedings expected to provide further insights into one of the most high-profile financial investigations in recent years.
