£5m Theft from school

A former director and trustee of Cardiff Sixth Form College has admitted stealing £5m from the Cardiff Sixth Form College, one of the UK’s best-known independent academic institutions.

Nadeem Sarwar, 50, pleaded guilty to theft at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court on Tuesday. The case concerns money taken from the finances of Cardiff Sixth Form College, a fee-paying school with a strong reputation for A level performance.

A second defendant, Ragu Sivapalan, 41, has also admitted a charge linked to the school’s accounts. A third defendant, Yasmin Sarwar, 45, the original founder of the school, has pleaded not guilty to several charges including fraud and theft and is due to stand trial.

The case was heard at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court.

What happened in court

Nadeem Sarwar admitted theft in relation to £5m from Cardiff Sixth Form College. He had served as a director and trustee of the school, roles that carry responsibility for governance, oversight, and the proper handling of institutional funds.

The plea means he has accepted criminal responsibility for the theft charge.

Ragu Sivapalan admitted a charge concerning the school’s accounts, specifically linked to causing an auditor’s report on a company’s annual accounts. That admission places a separate financial reporting issue within the wider case.

Yasmin Sarwar has pleaded not guilty. She faces a trial at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court after denying several charges, including fraud and theft. As her case is ongoing, the allegations against her remain unproven unless and until a court decides otherwise.

Why the case has drawn attention

Cardiff Sixth Form College is not a little-known school. It has built a national and international profile around academic results, at A level.

The college has been associated with the top end of UK league tables for many years and is often described as one of the country’s highest-performing sixth form institutions. That reputation has helped it attract pupils from the UK and overseas.

The school charges substantial fees. Boarders have been reported to pay over £75,000 per year, while day pupils have been reported to pay around £30,000 per year. Those figures place the college among the more expensive independent education providers in the UK.

That context explains why the admission of a £5m theft has attracted public interest. The case involves not only a large sum of money, but also an institution trusted by families to provide education, pastoral care, and responsible financial management.

Cardiff Sixth Form College is known for high academic performance.

For Cardiff Sixth Form College, the case will likely remain under scrutiny because of the size of the theft and the school’s public profile. The college’s academic reputation has long been a key part of its identity, but this case places attention on financial governance rather than exam performance.

Found us through a search engine? Click here to join our newsletter, or contact us and send your email and we will add you into our community. We do not share your information. You will get free, weekly updates on the latest scams to protect you and your family.

This article has been created for information purposes only and is not considered financial advice.