A director at a Championship football club has been arrested as part of a major fraud investigation.
Alan Whiteley, a director at Cardiff City, was arrested and suspended as a partner at M&A Solicitors on Thursday, the Guardian reports.
The company also suspended a second partner, Eric Evans, 65, from Abergavenny.In a statement, M&A Solicitors said Whiteley and Evans had been suspended with immediate effect.
“This action arises from a single transaction involving a client of the firm that is under investigation by the Serious Fraud Office,” the statement said.
“The firm acted diligently by referring matters to the authorities and the Serious Fraud Office’s investigation follows on from our referral.
“We are co-operating with the Serious Fraud Office’s investigation and due to the ongoing nature of that investigation we are unable to provide further information at this time.
“We wish to reassure our clients that this is an isolated incident.
“We are committed to providing our clients with the best service possible, and we are working with clients to ensure that business will continue as normal.”
On Wednesday, the SFO said it had searched seven residential properties, including five in South Wales, one in London and one in Birmingham.
One business premises in South Wales was also searched.
The operation was conducted with the assistance of South Wales Police, Gwent Police, the Metropolitan Police and West Midlands Police.
Whiteley, 47, from Bridgend, was appointed company secretary of Cardiff City in 2006. The investigation has no connection to the Championship promotion contenders.
A Cardiff City spokesman told WalesOnline.co.uk: “We are aware that a director of Cardiff City Football Club is under investigation into a matter that is totally unrelated to the club. While the investigation is ongoing it would be inappropriate to make any further comment.”
The suspensions follow an investigation by the SFO which involved more than 90 investigators and police officers from several different forces.
The SFO said five people were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud in relation to the sale of four mining sites in South Wales.
It said those arrested were three men, aged 65, 36 and 31, in South Wales, a 47-year-old man in London and a 28-year-old woman in Birmingham.
They were interviewed and released on bail pending further inquiries.
M&A Solicitors, the law firm Whiteley established in 1999, is one of Wales’ largest commercial law firms.
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