Journalist Dominic Prince has revealed how a “long lunch” with a firm of stockbrokers in 1990 set in train the events which have now seen businessman Asil Nadir start a 10-year jail sentence for stealing £29m.
Prince’s dining partner revealed suspicions that illegal trades were propping up Polly Peck shares. Acting on the tip-off, Prince discovered that anonymous Swiss companies were buying huge quantities of shares.
He reveals that a broking firm handling share purchases had pressed for payment and was given a number to call, which turned out to belong to Nadir’s personal assistant.
The first Sunday Times story led to a former Polly Peck treasury department employee coming forward who in turn blew the whistle to the Serious Fraud Office, Prince reports (£).
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