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The Who wants to be a millionaire scandal
Charles William Ingram is a former British Army major known for being accused and convicted of cheating on the television game show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? in 2001, after winning the maximum prize of one million pounds.
Following a lengthy trial, he was convicted on a single count of procuring a valuable security by deception.
He was convicted of insurance fraud in 2003 and ordered to resign as a major by the Army Board.
On the 9th and 10th of September 2001, Ingram was a contestant on the television game. His wife Diana and her brother Adrian had previously been contestants on the show, both winning £32,000. The show, presented by Chris Tarrant, was one of the highest-rated in the UK at its peak in 1999; one edition was watched by 19 million viewers, a third of the British population at the time.
Following a lengthy trial, he was convicted on a single count of procuring a valuable security by deception.
He was convicted of insurance fraud in 2003 and ordered to resign as a major by the Army Board.
On the 9th and 10th of September 2001, Ingram was a contestant on the television game. His wife Diana and her brother Adrian had previously been contestants on the show, both winning £32,000. The show, presented by Chris Tarrant, was one of the highest-rated in the UK at its peak in 1999; one edition was watched by 19 million viewers, a third of the British population at the time.
By the time recording ended on the first day, Ingram had reached £4,000 and used two of his three "lifelines". The production team doubted he would proceed much further when recording resumed, but he went on to win the top prize of £1 million.
The show's production company suspended the £1 million pay-out after they suspected Ingram had cheated. Production staff accused Ingram and his wife of defrauding the show by having an accomplice amongst the waiting contestants, lecturer Tecwen Whittock, who would cough when Ingram read out a correct answer.
Following a trial lasting four weeks (including jury deliberation for three-and-a-half days), Ingram, his wife and Whittock were convicted by a majority verdict of "procuring the execution of a valuable security by deception" on 7th April 2003. Both the Ingrams and Whittock were each given prison sentences suspended for two years, each fined £15,000, and each ordered to pay £10,000 towards prosecution costs.
The show's production company suspended the £1 million pay-out after they suspected Ingram had cheated. Production staff accused Ingram and his wife of defrauding the show by having an accomplice amongst the waiting contestants, lecturer Tecwen Whittock, who would cough when Ingram read out a correct answer.
Following a trial lasting four weeks (including jury deliberation for three-and-a-half days), Ingram, his wife and Whittock were convicted by a majority verdict of "procuring the execution of a valuable security by deception" on 7th April 2003. Both the Ingrams and Whittock were each given prison sentences suspended for two years, each fined £15,000, and each ordered to pay £10,000 towards prosecution costs.
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