Gasps as court hears cash stolen by Aberfoyle charity boss may not be returned

There were gasps from the public benches as a court heard money stolen from a pair of charities by an Aberfoyle woman may go to central funds instead of back to the deserving causes.

Lindsay MacCallum stole more than £85,000 from Rainbow Valley, the cancer foundation set up in memory of her best friend’s daughter and will be hit with a massive confiscation order.

She also embezzled £9,505 from the Anthony Nolan Trust and was jailed last month for three years.

But unless “complex” legal issues are solved, any recovered money could be sent straight into central funds rather than repaid to the charities which suffered.

There were gasps from the public benches from supporters of the Rainbow Trust when it was revealed there was a danger the money might not be returned.

A Proceeds of Crime hearing was held in Falkirk on Friday to reclaim the ill-gotten gains.

Advocate Deirdre Flanagan, for MacCallum, said it had been agreed the 61-year-old had personally profited to the tune of £95,483 from her criminal conduct and had total available wealth of more than £175,000.

The court heard MacCallum has already paid back £25,000 to Rainbow Valley, so the Crown sought a confiscation order for the remaining £70,483.

Ms Flanagan said it was the intention the compensation money should be divided between the charities, with the Anthony Nolan Trust also to be repaid in full.

Sheriff Craig Harris pointed out, normally, money recovered under the Proceeds of Crime Act goes straight to the Treasury or central funds.

He continued the case until December 11 to allow “minds to be applied” to ensure the cash goes back to the charities.

He warned: “It’s a very complex legal scenario.”

Betrayed trust

Mother-of-two MacCallum, of Aberfoyle was told in October by sentencing sheriff Maryam Labaki she had “systematically and deliberately” perpetrated “calculating” frauds on the charities and “betrayed” cancer victims.

The court heard despite being in no financial difficulty, she forged signatures of Rainbow Trust staff and rerouted cash from fundraising accounts for her own use between 2011 and 2021.

MacCallum worked as a fundraising manager for the Anthony Nolan Trust from 1995 to 2012 before she left to set up Rainbow Valley with best friend Angela MacVicar, 64.

In 2005, Angela lost her daughter Johanna, 27, to leukaemia and the foundation was established in her honour.

The pair worked together for ten years before a fall-out in 2022.

Angela stumbled upon MacCallum’s decade of deceit after discovering discrepancies in an account set up for a fundraising ball.

Mrs MacVicar said on Friday she wants to wait until the outcome of the December hearing before commenting further.

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