On the 23 June 2026, Abdul Robbani was sentenced to four years and eight months’ imprisonment and a 15-year director disqualification after fraudulently obtaining more than £708,000 in Gift Aid payments through a Community Amateur Sports Club. The CPS reported that more than 700 individuals were falsely recorded as having made substantial donations, allowing fraudulent Gift Aid claims worth £708,750 to be paid out.
Although the Robbani case involved a Community Amateur Sports Club rather than a registered charity, the fraudster targeted one of the charitable sector's most important tax reliefs: Gift Aid. The case serves as a reminder that charities must maintain clear records demonstrating that donations are genuine, traceable and properly accounted for.
Questions trustees should be asking themselves in light of the Robbani Case:
- Could we evidence a clear audit trail from every Gift Aid claim back to the donor who made it?
- Do we carry out proportionate "know your donor" checks for unusual, high-value or unexpected donations?
- Does our charity have a donations policy dealing with suspicious donations, money laundering concerns and donor due diligence?
- Are trustees receiving sufficient oversight information about Gift Aid claims and fundraising activity?
- If HMRC audited our Gift Aid records tomorrow, would we be confident that every claim could be justified?
The Robbani case is a reminder that Gift Aid compliance is about more than completing the correct forms. Trustees and those involved in the not-for-profit sector must be able to demonstrate where donations came from, why they were accepted and how they were recorded. By maintaining robust donor due diligence procedures and policies, charities can protect both their own reputation and public confidence in the sector as a whole.
If your charity has not recently reviewed its Gift Aid procedures, donation acceptance policy or donor due diligence processes, now may be a good time to do so. For bespoke help and guidance, contact our charity team who will be happy to advise.
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