Four Men Jailed 29 Years Over £6m NHS Scotland Bribery Scandal

Four men, including Adam Sharoudi and Gavin Brown of Ayrshire-based Oricom Ltd, along with NHS officials Alan Hush and Gavin Cox, were sentenced to a total of 29 years in prison for orchestrating a £6 million corruption and bribery scheme related to NHS contracts across Scotland. The trial revealed that Hush and Cox, abusing their public service roles, facilitated contracts for Oricom in exchange for cash, gifts, and holidays worth around £88,000. The offenses, spanning from 2010 to 2017, included bribery, fraud, theft, and violations under the Proceeds of Crime Act, with Oricom acquiring over £5.7 million in criminal property from multiple NHS health boards. Investigations uncovered thousands of incriminating messages and emails following the theft of NHS-issued phones, exposing the sophisticated nature of the criminal activity. Judge Lord Arthurson condemned the defendants for their arrogant and self-serving actions that subverted public trust in NHS management. Prosecutors emphasized the severe breach of public trust and the damaging impact of corruption on fair competition and public resources.