Two leaders of an Essex charity set up to support disabled and terminally ill children have been jailed after stealing £315,000 in donations intended for vulnerable families. Ruksana Khan, 68, and James Donovan, 58, diverted money from Kidz Come First to fund online gambling and pay household bills, according to Essex Police. Khan, who founded the charity in 2011, admitted fraud in 2021, while Donovan denied three fraud charges before being convicted in January 2024. Khan was sentenced to five years and 11 months in prison, while Donovan received a three-year sentence at Chelmsford Crown Court on 13 June 2024.
How did Kidz Come First charity leaders divert £315,000 in donations
As reported by the BBC, an investigation into the charity’s finances revealed that thousands of pounds had been transferred from its bank account into Khan’s personal account. Bank statements examined by investigators showed that some of the money was subsequently spent on online gambling websites. The funds were supposed to support children with disabilities and terminal illnesses rather than cover the personal expenses of those running the organisation.The investigation also established that money taken from Kidz Come First had been used to pay household bills. The charity had been created to provide assistance to families caring for children with serious health conditions, but its leaders were found to have misused donations intended for that purpose. Essex Police said the total amount stolen exceeded £300,000, with the investigation identifying the sum as £315,000.
Essex Police uncover the £315,000 Kidz Come First charity fraud
Essex Police launched an investigation in 2017 after receiving complaints from the Charity Commission. Detectives examined the charity’s financial records, including bank statements, which revealed payments from its account to Khan’s personal account. Investigators subsequently traced some of the money to online gambling websites.Detective Constable Claire March, who led the investigation, said the police were seeking to recover some of the stolen funds through confiscation orders. She described the theft as particularly serious because the money had been intended to help vulnerable children and their families. Speaking about the case, she said: “To steal £315,000 from a children’s charity where the money should have been spent on disabled and terminally ill children for equipment, healthcare and respite holidays is absolutely shocking.”
What prison sentences did the two Kidz Come First leaders receive
Khan admitted defrauding the charity in 2021. Donovan, however, denied three counts of fraud and was subsequently convicted at Chelmsford Crown Court in January 2024. Both had been prosecuted over the misuse of money belonging to Kidz Come First.On 13 June 2024, Recorder William Clegg KC sentenced Khan to five years and 11 months in prison. Donovan received a three-year prison sentence at the same court. The sentences followed the investigation into the theft of charity funds and their use for personal purposes, including gambling and household expenses.
What happened to the money donated to Kidz Come First charity
Following the sentencing, Essex Police confirmed that detectives were applying for confiscation orders in an effort to recover some of the money taken from Kidz Come First. The proceedings form part of the effort to retrieve funds that should have been used to support children living with disabilities and terminal illnesses.The case concerned a charity established in 2011 to assist families facing the challenges of caring for seriously ill and disabled children. Although Kidz Come First did help some families, the investigation exposed the diversion of substantial amounts of its money for personal gain. Khan and Donovan were both jailed after the court proceedings established their involvement in the charity fraud.
