Moonbeams Charity Boss Pays Back £50,000

A children’s cancer charity boss has paid back more than £50,000 to the scandal-hit organisation’s creditors.

Gary Easton audited the accounts of Moonbeams and served for a time as secretary and director.

The charity went under in 2003 after it emerged that only £70,000 of £3million raised for sick children actually went to the young cancer sufferers.

A court froze the accounts of Moonbeams – who sold sweets in pubs – and moves began to wind up the Edinburgh charity.

Liquidators concluded Easton had been overpaid.

They threatened him with legal action if he did not repay a “substantial proportion” of his £93,000 fees.

Judicial factor Bill Cleghorn yesterday confirmed Easton had paid back some cash – but not how much. He said: “The amount is acceptable tome.”

A source said the settlement “substantially exceeded” half of his fees for January 2000 to September 2003.

Liquidators told creditors last year: “The monies paid exceed the value of the services provided by him.”

Easton, 46, of Colinton, Edinburgh, did not respond to calls for comment.

Moonbeams were set up to send sick children on holiday with their families.

They raised funds through a trading company and all profits were supposed to be passed on to the charity.

A check by the Scottish Charities Office found the company made £2.9million over four years and only £70,000 was spent on sick kids.

Easton was fined £1000 by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants for auditing the books while helping manage Moonbeams.