Animal rescue charity names newest resident after Bristol fraud victim
Yorkshire terrier 'Mr Chandler' settling in after recovered funds donated in will
A rescue dog has been named after a fraud victim in Bristol following the donation of recovered funds to animal welfare charities.
Care Home Deputy manager Nikola Penevski was jailed last year after defrauding 83 year old resident Mr Chandler of more than £46,000.
He had been taking money from the victim’s bank account and paying it into his own. Mr Chandler died in 2023, before the case could reach court, with no living family.
As per his will, the money received back from the confiscation order was paid to two charities who he named as his beneficiaries.
Financial Investigation Unit Supervisor, Johanna Buck, said: “The role of the Financial Investigation Unit is to confiscate money and belongings earned by individuals to prevent them from benefiting from their crimes.
“In this case, while it is a great sadness that Mr Chandler died before he could get his stolen money back, we are glad that we could honour the wishes laid out in his will and donate the seized money to his chosen charities.
“I would like to recognise the Financial Investigator for this case, Nikki Matthews, who worked tirelessly to ensure the confiscation order went through and to arrange the donations.
“Her work, and the work of the unit as a whole, strives to ensure that criminals do not prosper from their offences and return the funds to their rightful owners where possible.”
The donations will be made by the executors of the will monthly as the funds are received from the defendant with one third of the total being donated to the RSPCA and two thirds to the Bristol Animal Rescue Centre.
In recognition of Mr Chandler’s posthumous donation, BARC has decided to honour his memory and love of animals by naming one of their newest resident dogs, a Yorkshire terrier, after Mr Chandler.
A spokesman from Bristol ARC charity said: “We are so grateful to those like Mr Chandler for their generosity, as well as the Financial Investigation Unit for ensuring his wishes were fulfilled.
“To honour him, we have named one of our newest residents after him a sweet Yorkshire terrier – bound to be a popular boy!
“Mr. Chandler’s legacy donation will be a lasting support for thousands of animals that come into our care, and we hope it inspires others to consider leaving a gift in their will to support animals in need.”