A notorious Perthshire businessman, Thomas Robinson, widely known as Tam O’Braan, is now facing intense scrutiny from prosecutors in a concerted effort to reclaim substantial sums of money following his conviction for an elaborate tea fraud. The deceptive scheme, which saw Robinson peddling fabricated Scottish-grown tea to prestigious hotels and legitimate UK tea cultivators, has drawn the attention of the Crown Office, which has formally initiated a Proceeds of Crime action.
Robinson was handed a three-and-a-half-year custodial sentence earlier this year, after being found guilty of orchestrating a half-million-pound swindle. The deceit involved marketing tea, supposedly cultivated at a plantation in the scenic Aberfeldy area, which in reality was acquired from international wholesalers. This prolonged deception, spanning five years between January 2014 and February 2019, amounted to a staggering £550,000 in ill-gotten gains. The Audacious Scheme Unravels
The extent of Robinson’s fraudulent activities was laid bare during his trial at Stirling Sheriff Court. He was found to have defrauded twelve individual buyers of over £274,000, and various hotels and businesses, including Edinburgh’s iconic Balmoral Hotel, of nearly £279,000. The audacity of his claims extended beyond his fake tea enterprise. During his sentencing, Robinson reportedly asserted that his business, the ‘Wee Tea Plantation,’ had received backing from the Scottish Government. This claim ostensibly referred to a £20,000 grant from the European Development Fund, channelled through Scottish Enterprise, intended for testing what he touted as a ‘miracle’ plastic sheeting – purportedly the secret to growing tea in Scotland’s climate. Furthermore, he convinced Scottish Edge to provide a £50,000 loan and grant to kickstart his venture, only for the company to be later informed that the business had collapsed due to unspecified illness.
Robinson’s web of fabrications was extensive and often bizarre. He falsely boasted of being part of a scientific team that invented the ubiquitous ‘Bag for Life’ and sensationally claimed to have conducted crop trials for former US President Barack Obama – assertions that were entirely devoid of evidence. His self-proclaimed distinguished past also included a career in the army and a successful stint as a professional rugby player. These tales, however, crumbled under examination, revealing a pattern of fantastical storytelling designed to bolster his credibility and deceive investors. Financial Records and the Pursuit of Justice
Unravelling Robinson’s true financial standing is anticipated to be a complex undertaking. The disgraced businessman’s narrative of his illustrious career and business operations was riddled with convenient excuses for missing documentation. He alleged that all proof of his grand achievements had been lost during a devastating flood at his cottage, resulting in crucial paperwork being reduced to a “bag of mush” in his basement. When investigators questioned the lack of large-scale tea-growing equipment at his Aberfeldy site, he countered by claiming the apparatus had been dispatched to a facility in Ireland. He then attempted to deflect blame onto an IT technician, whom he accused of deleting photographic evidence by deactivating his cloud storage.
Companies House records indicate that the Wee Tea Plantation was voluntarily struck off in October 2019, following the initiation of a criminal investigation by Food Standards Scotland. Prior to this, Robinson also held a directorship with the Tea Growers Association between 2014 and 2017, lending a veneer of legitimacy to his fraudulent activities. In a stark admission at his sentencing, Robinson, who had latterly been working as a chef at Taymouth Castle, expressed a ‘statement of regret’ to reporters, acknowledging his guilt and responsibility for his actions.
The ongoing Proceeds of Crime action seeks to meticulously investigate Robinson’s financial affairs, determine the exact benefit he derived from his illicit scheme, and ascertain the maximum amount that can be recovered. A further confiscation hearing is scheduled to take place in December, marking another critical step in the pursuit of justice for those who fell victim to this elaborate deception. The community of Perth and Kinross will undoubtedly be watching closely as the legal process continues to unfold, ensuring accountability for a scheme that undermined trust and tarnished the reputation of genuine local producers.
Robinson was handed a three-and-a-half-year custodial sentence earlier this year, after being found guilty of orchestrating a half-million-pound swindle. The deceit involved marketing tea, supposedly cultivated at a plantation in the scenic Aberfeldy area, which in reality was acquired from international wholesalers. This prolonged deception, spanning five years between January 2014 and February 2019, amounted to a staggering £550,000 in ill-gotten gains. The Audacious Scheme Unravels
The extent of Robinson’s fraudulent activities was laid bare during his trial at Stirling Sheriff Court. He was found to have defrauded twelve individual buyers of over £274,000, and various hotels and businesses, including Edinburgh’s iconic Balmoral Hotel, of nearly £279,000. The audacity of his claims extended beyond his fake tea enterprise. During his sentencing, Robinson reportedly asserted that his business, the ‘Wee Tea Plantation,’ had received backing from the Scottish Government. This claim ostensibly referred to a £20,000 grant from the European Development Fund, channelled through Scottish Enterprise, intended for testing what he touted as a ‘miracle’ plastic sheeting – purportedly the secret to growing tea in Scotland’s climate. Furthermore, he convinced Scottish Edge to provide a £50,000 loan and grant to kickstart his venture, only for the company to be later informed that the business had collapsed due to unspecified illness.
Robinson’s web of fabrications was extensive and often bizarre. He falsely boasted of being part of a scientific team that invented the ubiquitous ‘Bag for Life’ and sensationally claimed to have conducted crop trials for former US President Barack Obama – assertions that were entirely devoid of evidence. His self-proclaimed distinguished past also included a career in the army and a successful stint as a professional rugby player. These tales, however, crumbled under examination, revealing a pattern of fantastical storytelling designed to bolster his credibility and deceive investors. Financial Records and the Pursuit of Justice
Unravelling Robinson’s true financial standing is anticipated to be a complex undertaking. The disgraced businessman’s narrative of his illustrious career and business operations was riddled with convenient excuses for missing documentation. He alleged that all proof of his grand achievements had been lost during a devastating flood at his cottage, resulting in crucial paperwork being reduced to a “bag of mush” in his basement. When investigators questioned the lack of large-scale tea-growing equipment at his Aberfeldy site, he countered by claiming the apparatus had been dispatched to a facility in Ireland. He then attempted to deflect blame onto an IT technician, whom he accused of deleting photographic evidence by deactivating his cloud storage.
Companies House records indicate that the Wee Tea Plantation was voluntarily struck off in October 2019, following the initiation of a criminal investigation by Food Standards Scotland. Prior to this, Robinson also held a directorship with the Tea Growers Association between 2014 and 2017, lending a veneer of legitimacy to his fraudulent activities. In a stark admission at his sentencing, Robinson, who had latterly been working as a chef at Taymouth Castle, expressed a ‘statement of regret’ to reporters, acknowledging his guilt and responsibility for his actions.
The ongoing Proceeds of Crime action seeks to meticulously investigate Robinson’s financial affairs, determine the exact benefit he derived from his illicit scheme, and ascertain the maximum amount that can be recovered. A further confiscation hearing is scheduled to take place in December, marking another critical step in the pursuit of justice for those who fell victim to this elaborate deception. The community of Perth and Kinross will undoubtedly be watching closely as the legal process continues to unfold, ensuring accountability for a scheme that undermined trust and tarnished the reputation of genuine local producers.