Accountants investigating two north-east sisters who sold fake diet products have been given another four months to assess their finances.
Helen Buchan and Carol Wiseman, both from Fraserburgh, were fined £9,000 last March after it was revealed their business – which sold a “miracle” liquid to unwitting dieters – was built on lies.
Now, the sisters, who ran the £2million slimming scam under the company name Secret Diet Drops, have been given more time to sort out their accounts as prosecutors attempt to claw back some of their illicit profits through the proceeds of crime act.
At Peterhead Sheriff Court yesterday, the duo made only a fleeting appearance before being told their presence would not be necessary.
Solicitor Leonard Burkinshaw appeared on their behalf and told the court forensic accountants would need more time to process the vast amount of paperwork involved in the case.
He said: “There is a large amount of material and the forensic accountants have yet to finish.”
He added his hope that “meaningful discussions” can begin to take place no latter than May with the Crown about recovering the duo’s profits.
Fiscal depute, Ruaridh McAllister, offered no objection to the delay.
Wiseman and Buchan will now be called back to Peterhead Sheriff Court on May 5.
The Crown had originally offered a deferral of six months for the work to be completed.
The sisters previously admitted to selling common apple vinegar cider and telling buyers it would help break down fat, kill cancer cells and help with arthritis.
In addition to their fine, Wiseman and Buchan were both given 180 hours unpaid work in the community as a direct alternative to jail.
At the time, defence advocate Tony Lenehan, representing both women and their company, argued they had never meant to deliberately mislead customers and believed their products helped people.
Trading standards officers from Aberdeenshire Council – who investigated the scheme – said they did not believe the sentence would act as a “deterrent”.
