Chester FC have dismissed their general manager just a day after he started work at the National North club.
60 year old Stephen Jones began his new job yesterday but was shown the door this morning.
Chester issued the following statement about what he happened.
“Chester Football Club can confirm that, following a number of issues
that have come to the club’s attention over the past 24 hours, Stephen
Jones has left employment with the club with immediate effect.
“As part of the recruitment process significant checks and due diligence were completed based on the information provided upon application.
“The issues however only came to light following his commencement in post and the club has acted swiftly once they came out to resolve these matters.
“We will be making no further comment on the matter.”
The Non-League paper suggested that there were historical issues with 'his employment history relating to the mortgage industry'.
Some of the background to why Jones was dismissed can be found on the Financial Conduct Authority site.
On 25 August 2009, the FSA prohibited Stephen Charles Jones from performing any function in relation to any regulated activity carried on by any authorised person, exempt person or exempt professional firm. 1.2. The FSA would have imposed a financial penalty of £100,000 on him pursuant to section 66 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 ("the Act") but for his bankruptcy.
Mr Jones entered information which he knew to be false on seven of his own applications in relation to mortgages on properties he owned, or wished to own, and submitted each application to lenders. As a result, he obtained the benefit of mortgage offers, more favourable terms on mortgage offers than he would otherwise have received, and procuration fees (in contravention of Statement of Principle 1).
He also failed to be open and co-operative with the FSA by for example failing to comply with statutory requests dated 29 January 2008 and 8 February 2008. Also, prior to a visit by the FSA, he produced fact find documents for completed sales, and arranged for the customers to sign and back date them, so that it would appear to the FSA during the visit that he had created contemporaneous sales documents. Also, he gave a false residential address to the FSA (in contravention of Statement of Principle 4).
He also caused the business of Jones & Poole Independent Mortgage Specialists to fail to comply with regulatory requirements aimed at treating customers fairly (in contravention of Statement of Principle 7).
In December 2010 he was sentenced to two years six months in jail after a mortgage fraud trial.