As if Barclays Bank didn’t already have enough PR problems on their hands with the recent scandal involving the falsification of interest rates during the 2008 credit crisis, they must now deal with a plastic surgery scandal as well. I suppose this one shouldn’t be as shocking as the interest rate scandal. After all, those crazy Brits love their plastic surgery.
One Barclays bank clerk wanted plastic surgery so badly that she decided to break the law in order to pay for her desired procedures. In an attempt to achieve her life-long dream of becoming a model, 24-year-old Rachael Martin stole a little more than $72,000 from the tills at her bank branch and spent the bulk of the money on cosmetic surgery procedures to boost her attractiveness.
Martin stole the money gradually over a two-month period. She would typically take about $1,500-$3,000 at a time, depositing the embezzled funds into her personal bank account. In one moment of unbridled bravado, she even stole approximately $10,000 in one day.
She put this money to good use, spending it on important services such as breast augmentation, dental procedures such as tooth whitening, liposuction, and hair extensions. If you are doing the math here, you are probably aware that these cosmetic procedures cost nowhere near $72,000. Martin did what any prudent 24-year-old banker/aspiring model would do with the rest of this illegally-begotten nest egg – she blew it partying in night clubs. I guess she just couldn’t resist the temptation to rope in some British studs with her new fake boobs and surgically enhanced, smoking hot body.
Busted!
Eventually, the Barclays brass caught wind of Martin’s shady actions. But it was too little, too late. She had already spent all of the stolen cash. They did fire her though, so perhaps they can claim a pyrrhic victory.
Martin recently appeared in court facing 25 counts of theft. She initially denied the charges against her, but on her big day in court she copped a plea and admitted to stealing the full $72,000. She awaits sentencing, which is set for September.
Luckily for Rachael Martin, she has legal precedent on her side. Several recent British theft-for-plastic surgery cases resulted in little more than a slap on the wrist for the perps:
- Last year, two siblings used stolen credit card numbers obtained from a friend who worked for American Express to pay for breast implants. They didn’t serve any jail time, just 120 hours of community service.
- A few months ago, a British woman who was busted using taxpayers’ welfare money for breast augmentation was sentenced to 4 months in jail – not exactly what you would call hard time.
Of course, none of these other plastic surgery felons robbed a bank, and none of them stole a sum of money remotely close to $72,000. Perhaps Martin will be forced to spend a little time behind bars before embarking on her modeling career. Although probably not too much – I’ll bet she’ll be able to start going out for those coveted swimsuit shoots by next spring.
But let’s be honest. If you need plastic surgery in order to have a shot at making it as a model, you probably have no business being a model. It’s OK. Most people don’t have the body type to be a model. Sometimes it is best to know your limitations and stick to what you are good at – in this case, counting money behind a bank desk.
Although judging by this photo, it is pretty obvious that Rachael Martin would never be satisfied with the tame, mundane life of a bank clerk…
