The Jewish Chronicle

Gerald Ronson: behind the story

January 5, 2012 12:39

ByAnonymous, Anonymous

1 min read

Property tycoon Gerald Ronson, 72, who has raised more than £100m for charity, has come under fire for his CBE – because of his conviction for false accounting 22 years ago. He was one of four convicted in the Guinness share-trading scandal over its takeover of Scottish company, Distillers. He was fined £5m and jailed for six months.In 2000, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that he did not receive a fair trial.

Mick Davis, chair of the Jewish Leadership Council, said: "Gerald remains a towering figure in communal life after half-a-century of leading from the front. It is right and proper for him to be honoured in this way." CST chief executive, Richard Benson, said: "CST regards this award to its chairman as a tribute both to his unwavering leadership, and to the countless charitable deeds and actions that Gerald performs for CST, our Jewish community and British society - exactly as he has done throughout his working life."