Recently, Mr Andrew Behagg, a finance director with Greenvale (a
company that supplied potatoes to Sainsbury's) was found guilty
of corruption at Croydon Crown Court. Greenvale supplied
approximately 45% of Sainsbury's potatoes in 2008, at a cost in
the region of £40 million per year. Individuals at the
company bribed Sainsbury's potato purchaser Mr John Maylam with
lump sum payments, expensive trips and hotel stays.
Sue Patten, Head of the Crown Prosecution Service
("CPS") Central Fraud Group said:
"Potato buyer John Maylam was showered with excessive gifts
and hospitality including stays at Claridges, costing a total of
£200,000 and a luxury 12 day excursion to the Monaco Grand
Prix in 2007, at a cost to Greenvale of around £350,000.
Maylam also received lump sum payments, via an account in
Luxembourg, to the tune of £1.5 million, supposedly for the
storage of potatoes in Spain and other bogus activities."
