Council leader found guilty of fraud and tax evasion
Ashfield District Council leader Jason Zadrozny has been convicted on nine counts of fraud and four counts of tax evasion. He will be sentenced on 27 November.
Jason Zadrozny, leader of Ashfield District Council in England, has been found guilty of nine counts of fraud and four counts of tax evasion following a trial at Northampton Crown Court. The jury reached its verdict after deliberating for nearly 11 hours.
The 46-year-old, from Stanton Hill, also served as an Ashfield Independents councillor on Nottinghamshire County Council. Prosecutors told the court that in 2018 Zadrozny set up an organisation called the Ashfield Heritage Society and used it to apply for funding from Nottinghamshire County Council. He then transferred the money he received into his own personal bank account, defrauding the council of thousands of pounds.
Prosecutors also alleged that Zadrozny failed to pay tax on income from four rental properties he owned.
Sentencing set for November
The judge told Zadrozny he would be sentenced on 27 November and warned him that he was at risk of an immediate custodial sentence. He was granted unconditional bail until the sentencing hearing. The judge thanked the jury for the care and attention they showed throughout the trial.
