A year has passed since police searched the home of Nicola Sturgeon and her husband Peter Murrell as part of a probe into SNP finances.
The high profile activity on April 5 2023 finally led to the first charge being made nearly a year to the day.
Police charged Mr Murrell, the former SNP chief executive, on April 18 this year in connection with embezzlement of party funds.
The crisis now faced by new leader Humza Yousaf has its roots in concerns over the use of £600,000 donated to the SNP for independence campaigning.
Here’s the full timeline of events so far.
13.3.2017: Referendum push
Former first minister Ms Sturgeon laid down the gauntlet for a rerun of the 2014 independence vote as the Tories pushed ahead with Brexit.
The SNP launched a fundraiser online where members could donate money which would then be used for campaigning to leave the UK.
27.6.2017: Referendum put on hold
In the aftermath of the 2017 election Ms Sturgeon put her party’s plans for an independence vote on hold.
It came after the SNP lost more than 20 seats at Westminster.
But the party had still seen its coffers boosted by donations earmarked for the independence fight.
28.10.20: Spending concerns
The SNP was forced to address concerns from members that the funds raised for a referendum had already been spent.
It came after the Electoral Commission published the party’s accounts, showing they had less than £100,000 in the bank.
Treasurer Colin Beattie insisted the crowdfunder money was being recorded separately.
29.5.21: New treasurer quits
Fife MP Douglas Chapman succeeded Mr Beattie as SNP treasurer in 2020.
But within months he resigned, claiming he had not been given the necessary “financial information” to carry out the role.
Mr Beattie stepped back in to replace him.
20.6.21: SNP chief’s loan to party
Peter Murrell, then SNP chief executive, loaned his party £107,000 in the aftermath of the 2021 Holyrood election.
At the time the sum of money was not recorded. The SNP made a loss of £750,000 across the whole of 2021.
13.7.21: Police probe begins
Police confirmed they had launched an official investigation into the spending of funds donated to the party for independence.
13.12.22: Loan details emerge
Mr Murrell’s loan to the SNP came under scrutiny after it was reported on by pro-independence site Wings Over Scotland.
The party said the donation had been made to boost funds after an expensive election.
Ms Sturgeon said she couldn’t recall when she first became aware her husband had made the loan.
15.2.23: Sturgeon quits
Ms Sturgeon stunned Scotland when she resigned as first minister after more than eight years in power.
When questioned, the outgoing SNP leader denied the simmering financial scandal was at all related to her decision.
11.3.23: Leadership contest
The SNP leadership race brought inner tensions within the party into the open.
Outsider candidate Ash Regan said she would open the books to answer questions over the donations at the centre of the police investigation.
18.3.23: Murrell resigns
As the race to replace his wife raged on, Mr Murrell was forced to stand down as SNP chief executive due to a row over membership numbers. The party claimed they still had around 100,000 paid-up supporters.
But when it emerged this was false and there were around 70,000 members, head of media Murray Foote quit. Mr Murrell followed him out the door the following day.
5.4.23: Murrell arrested
Just a week after Mr Yousaf took power, Mr Murrell was arrested in connection with the police investigation.
A tent was erected outside his home as officers stood guard and searched inside for evidence. He was later released without charge.
7.4.23: Auditors controversy
It then emerged the SNP’s auditing firm, Johnston Carmichael, had quit nearly six months earlier and were yet to be replaced.
Mr Yousaf later admitted he was unaware of this until after he became first minister.
9.4.23: Motorhome seizure
On the same day Mr Murrell was arrested, a motorhome worth more than £100,000 was taken from his mother’s Dunfermline home by police.
Party sources later claimed the campervan had been bought ahead of the 2021 election due to Covid restrictions.
But opposition MSPs cast doubt on that explanation.
16.4.23: Sturgeon video leaked
Footage shared from March 2021 showed Ms Sturgeon rubbishing concerns around the SNP’s finances.
She suggested party members should be “careful” over claiming there were any problems with the party’s accounts.
18.4.23: Colin Beattie arrested
Midlothian MSP Mr Beattie was arrested and taken into custody by police.
He was later released without charge.
19.4.23: Treasurer quits
The day after his arrest, Mr Beattie resigned from his role as the party’s treasurer.
He also stepped back from his post on Holyrood’s public audit committee.
25.4.23: Ex-treasurer unaware of campervan purchase
On his return to Holyrood the week after being arrested, Mr Beattie admitted he did not know the SNP had bought a luxury motorhome.
His comments raised questions over how the party was able to purchase the campervan without his knowledge given his role.
At the same time, a row erupted within the SNP’s Westminster group around due to the delay in the party appointing new auditors.
Leader Stephen Flynn claimed he can’t guarantee new auditors will be in place for a key deadline, but Ian Blackford said his successor told him a firm had already been found.
3.5.23: SNP secure new auditors
The SNP finally managed to secure new auditors more than six months after Johnston Carmichael quit.
Sources said they were confident the accountants will be able to meet a key deadline at the end of the May to ensure the party gets public funding.
It was feared Mr Flynn’s Westminster group would lose out on £1.2 million given to them each year which helps pay for staff.
First Minister Mr Yousaf confirmed AMS Accountants Group had reached a deal with his party.
16.5.23: Questions over search warrant
Alba MP Kenny MacAskill, a former SNP justice secretary, called for a judge-led inquiry over search warrant concerns.
It comes after the Scottish Sun reported police requested the warrant on March 20, but it was only green-lit and sent to a sheriff a fortnight later.
This meant the search of Ms Sturgeon’s home and SNP HQ took place on April 5, after the party’s leadership race.
The BBC reported that sources close to the inquiry had denied there has been any undue delay.
11.6.23: Nicola Sturgeon arrested
Police announced Ms Sturgeon had been arrested “as a suspect in connection with the ongoing investigation into the funding and finances of the Scottish National Party”.
The force said: “The woman is in custody and is being questioned by Police Scotland detectives.
“A report will be sent to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service.
24.8.23: Major deficit revealed
The SNP’s latest set of accounts showed the party was £804,278 in the red as of last year – an increase of more than £70,000 from 2021.
As party membership declines, income fell by more than £280,000.
But Mr Yousaf insisted the SNP was on a “steady footing” despite this, and said expenditure had been high due to the local elections.
The news came just days after former media chief Mr Foote was unveiled as the party’s new chief executive.
27.8.23: Fresh police probe launched
It emerged police had launched a fresh investigation into SNP finances over accusations the party accepted donations in exchange for Westminster seats.
It was alleged cash gifts given to the party were not registered and instead lodged as money brought in by fundraising.
A spokesperson for the force said: “We are now aware of the complaint and it will be assessed.”
6.10.23: Finances probe a factor in by-election loss
Following the SNP’s defeat in the Rutherglen and Hamilton West by-election, Humza Yousaf said the investigation into the party’s finances – along with the “reckless” actions of recalled MP Margaret Ferrier – played a part in the result.
He said the party would “regroup” and come back stronger.
18.4.24: Peter Murrell charged by police
Police Scotland re-arrested Mr Murrell at around 9am that day, only releasing that information eight hours later.
By that evening, he had been charged.
In a statement, police said: “A 59-year-old man has today, Thursday, 18 April, 2024, been charged in connection with the embezzlement of funds from the Scottish National Party.
“The man, who was arrested at 9.13am today and had previously been arrested as a suspect on 5 April, 2023, was charged at 6.35pm after further questioning by Police Scotland detectives investigating the funding and finances of the party.
“A report will be sent to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service in due course.
The man is no longer in police custody.
“As this investigation is ongoing we are unable to comment further.”