Ex-Oxford International College CEO charged with £5m theft

Yasmin Anjum Sarwar, 44, from Cyncoed, Cardiff has been charged with multiple theft and fraud offences worth around £5 million, alongside her husband Nadeem Sarwar, 49, from Pentwyn, Cardiff.

In addition, Ragu Sivapalan, 39, from Penylan, Cardiff has been charged with false accounting between January 2013 and January 2016.

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These relate to their time working at Cardiff Sixth Form College, specifically between 2012 and 2016.

All three denied the charges at Cardiff Crown Court in May last year, with a pre-trial review hearing set for later this month on May 22.

The trial is listed to start on September 21.

The fraud was allegedly committed at Cardiff Sixth Form College (Image: Cardiff Sixth Form College/PA)

The college, where the trio were either directors or trustees, is a fee-paying school for 16- to 18-year-olds and regularly records some of the highest A-level results in the country.

In 2016 it was the subject of the BBC documentary Britain’s Brainiest School.

The college has changed ownership since the alleged fraud, with the charity that oversees it now called the Cardiff Educational Endowment Trust.

Specifically Ms Sarwar has pleaded not guilty to fraud, two counts of theft, two counts of fraudulent trading, possessing criminal property and three counts of transferring criminal property.

Between January 2017 and January 2025, Ms Sarwar worked as chief education officer at Oxford International College, a private school based at London Place that offers GCSE and A-Level education.

Oxford International College students on A-level results day (Image: Oxford International College)

The school, which refused to comment on the case, is marketed at students from around the world, helping students to secure places at both Oxford and Cambridge universities.

On its website, it states its vision is: “To create pioneers who excel in the world’s most competitive universities and go on to become leaders who use science with compassion to solve humanity’s greatest challenges.”

Her LinkedIn states she is working at Curriculum.com, an AI-powered learning management system company that she co-founded.

She was initially charged on March 24, 2025 as announced by South Wales Police.

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A spokesperson for the force said: “Following an investigation by South Wales Police, with vital evidence provided by the Charity Commission for England & Wales, three people have been charged in connection with a multi-million pounds fraud and theft investigation into the former independent Cardiff Sixth Form College which happened between 2012 and 2016.

“Yasmin Anjum Sarwar, 43, from Cyncoed, Cardiff and Nadeem Sarwar, 48, from Pentwyn, Cardiff have been charged with multiple theft and fraud offences totalling some £5 million.

“Ragu Sivapalan, 39, from Penylan, Cardiff has been charged with false accounting between 2013 and 2016.”