A senior manager at a Scottish agricultural company has admitted siphoning more than half a million pounds from her employer by inventing fake workers and diverting their wages into her own bank account.
Viktorija Lukjanova, 36, a pack house manager at East Lothian Produce, pleaded guilty to fraud after prosecutors revealed she created “ghost” agency staff and approved timesheets and invoices that allowed the payments to go unnoticed. Over a three-year period, the scheme netted her £550,000.
How the ‘Ghost Worker’ Scheme Worked
Position of Trust
Lukjanova joined East Lothian Produce in 2011 and was promoted to pack house manager in 2019, putting her in charge of liaising with employment agencies and handling the paperwork used to pay temporary staff.
Fabricating Workers and Diverting Wages
From January 2021 to February 2024, she fabricated workers, created false timesheets, and routed wages for these non-existent employees into her own Revolut account. Two of the fake workers were listed under the surnames of Lukjanova’s family members. When questioned, she initially denied any wrongdoing, claiming the names were common in her native Latvia. She later admitted they were used to cover agency workers without proper documentation to work in the UK.
“I’m Going to Jail”
How the Fraud Was Discovered
The fraud began to unravel in January 2024 after a manager questioned the identity of several agency workers. During a fact-finding meeting, Lukjanova was told CCTV would be checked to confirm whether the workers were present.
The Admission
At that moment, she reportedly said: “I’m going to jail.” She admitted adding names to timesheets for people who had never worked at the pack house and confirmed the wages were paid into her own account. Following an internal investigation, Lukjanova was dismissed for gross misconduct, and the police were alerted in February 2024.
Court Outcome
Bail and Sentencing
Lukjanova appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court, where Sheriff Graeme Watson granted bail but warned that “all sentencing options, including custody, will be open.” Sentencing has been deferred while social work and restriction-of-liberty reports are prepared.
Impact of the Fraud
What started as payroll manipulation at a family-run vegetable business supplying customers across Europe has ended in one of the most audacious internal frauds seen in the region, highlighting the risks when managers hold unchecked control over payroll processes.
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