Key facts
- Three people have been arrested in connection with a financial crimes investigation at the University of Greater Manchester.
- Allegations include fraud, bribery, and money laundering, with over £1m in fraudulent activity suspected.
- The arrests follow warrants executed at multiple addresses across England.
- The investigation is ongoing and involves collaboration between GMP and the CPS.
- The university, formerly known as the University of Bolton, has been under scrutiny for its governance.
Three individuals have been arrested as part of a significant investigation into alleged financial crimes at the University of Greater Manchester, formerly known as the University of Bolton. The arrests, which include two men in their 60s and a woman in her 50s, are linked to allegations of fraud, bribery, and money laundering, with police exploring evidence of over £1 million in fraudulent activity.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) executed warrants at multiple addresses in Bolton, Lancashire, Humberside, and West Yorkshire. The arrests are a key development in a complex, year-long operation involving the Crown Prosecution Service’s serious economic crime unit. Assistant Chief Constable Rick Jackson stated that detectives are meticulously compiling evidence for a potential prosecution, focusing on distinct elements of the investigation.
The alleged offences are reported to have occurred between 2014 and 2025, with university funds purportedly used for personal gain, including the purchase of a heated dog kennel. The university's experience has been impacted by these allegations, with Jackson emphasizing that funds should have been invested in education.
Phil Brickell, MP for Bolton West, described the developments as serious and stressed the need for good governance at the university. The Office for Students (OfS) formally announced its own investigation into the university's management and governance in December 2025, following GMP's confirmation of investigating financial irregularities in May of the previous year. Detectives had previously conducted searches of seven properties in July to seize evidence.