FOUR people have been charged with offences related to targeting charities in a suspected countrywide fraud operation.

Following a police operation in late last year warrants were executed at four locations throughout Wiltshire on Wednesday, November 17 as part of an investigation into suspected large-scale fraud across the country targeting charitable organisations through mail marketing.

Warrants were executed at addresses in Ferndale Road, Swindon; Firecrest View, Swindon; a private address near Calne and a hanger at Wroughton Airfield.

In total five people were arrested on suspicion of money laundering and fraud.

Wiltshire officers also worked with colleagues from other forces to execute warrants at an address in Hereford, where a 37-year-old man was arrested, and one in Brighton, where a 57-year-old man was apprehended.

Late yesterday, four of those arrested in November were charged with a variety of offences.

Christopher Hogan, 46, of Ferndale Road; Richard Badger, 41, of Firecrest View, Covingham; Mark Barclay, 36, of Hilmarton, near Calne, and Katie Dixon, 25, also of Hilmarton near Calne, were all charged with conspiracy to defraud and money laundering. Barclay was also charged with unlawful possession of section one firearms and possession of class A and class B drugs.

Hogan was released on conditional bail to appear at Swindon Magistrates’ Court on February 23 while Barclay, Dixon and Badger, who were also all released on conditional bail, are due to appear before Swindon magistrates on February 24.

The 37-year-old man from Hereford, 57-year-old man from Brighton and 46-year-old woman from Swindon, remain on bail pending further enquiries.