News

RSAMD deceived by fraudster Simon Brophy

UK - The Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama (RSAMD) has suspended a member of staff after it emerged that he was using a false name.

As reported in the Scottish News of the World on 7 February, the lecturer, who for six months had gone by the name 'Simon Cadell', was in fact Simon Brophy, the former head of lighting at the Millennium Dome who was jailed for four-and-a-half years in 2005 after being convicted of a £4m fraud at the Dome.

The deception apparently came to light following allegations that Cadell had had a relationship with a student. He was immediately suspended by the Academy.

Last year, "Simon Cadell" was mentioned in RSAMD press releases as part of its lecturing team that had been named "the best in the world" by OISTAT at the World Stage Design Exhibition & Conference 2009, in Korea. As of this morning, "Simon Cadel" (sic) is still listed as a Lighting and Sound lecturer on the Academy's website.

An RSAMD spokeswoman told L&SI: "Although the RSAMD cannot comment on individuals, it can confirm that a member of staff has been suspended whilst an internal investigation is carried out."

Simon Brophy used his position as head of lighting at London's Millennium Dome to ensure that an extremely profitable contract went to a company he set up - Pro Design. The fraud was discovered in September 2000, when the NMEC had become suspicious and called in the Metropolitan police. Detectives discovered false information within the tender document submitted by Pro Design and Brophy and several others, including his wife Margaret, were subsequently charged with conspiracy to defraud the NMEC and fraudulent trading.

Brophy and his co-director David Gordon were found to have funded an extremely luxurious lifestyle that included extensive travelling abroad, acquiring amongst other things property in Florida Keys, a helicopter and a yacht in Malta.

(Lee Baldock)

(9 February 2010)