A renowned entrepreneur has left the taxpayer at least £10 million out of pocket after she closed her chain of training providers amid a government investigation.
Angela Middleton, a media commentator and self-proclaimed “careers queen” who was awarded an MBE in 2018 for her services to apprenticeships and business, blamed the “devastating impact of Covid-19” when she shut her four skills training companies in December 2020.
But FE Week understands the decision came after the Education and Skills Funding Agency’s counter-fraud and investigation team probed how multiple contracts were used across the firms.
After two years of investigating, the ESFA has now submitted a £10.1 million clawback claim to the liquidators of Middleton’s biggest provider, Astute Minds Ltd, according to a new statement of affairs document.
