US EditionFraudster made £550,000 selling fake 'Scottish-grown tea'
- Thomas Robinson, also known as Tam O'Braan, was found guilty of fraud on May 29, 2025, at Falkirk Sheriff Court for selling ordinary tea as Scottish-grown between 2014 and 2019.
- The lengthy investigation by Food Standards Scotland began after suspicions arose from Robinson claiming to cultivate unique tea at his Perthshire estate, while sourcing it from overseas wholesalers.
- Robinson marketed tea varieties such as Dalreoch White and Highland Green to luxury hotels like Balmoral and retailers, fabricating qualifications and misrepresenting plants to genuine growers and clients.
- Clients lost about £585,000 in total due to Robinson's scheme, which FSS head Ron McNaughton called deliberate deception causing real financial and reputational harm.
- Robinson is scheduled to be sentenced on June 25, 2025, at court in Stirling, while officials emphasize their ongoing commitment to safeguarding Scotland's food industry from similar fraudulent activities.
Insights by Ground AI
Does this summary seem wrong?
16 Articles
16 Articles
All
Left
5
Center
4
Right
'Fantasist' conned famous hotels into buying 'Queen's favourite tea' - but it was all fake - The Mirror
Thomas Robinson, 55, lied to the Dorchester Hotel in London and Edinburgh's Balmoral Hotel by claiming his tea had been grown on farmland in Perthshire, Scotland, a court heard
·London, United Kingdom
Read Full Article
Coverage Details
Total News Sources16
Leaning Left5Leaning Right0Center4Last UpdatedBias Distribution56% Left
Bias Distribution
- 56% of the sources lean Left
56% Left
L 56%
C 44%
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
Ownership
To view ownership data please Upgrade to Vantage
