When Fraud Isn’t “Just Fraud”: Why Economic Abuse Must Be Seen for What It Is

Emma Chandler

The first episode of the Economic Justice Monitor’s new podcast, hosted by Nicola Sharps-Jeffs, delivers a powerful and deeply necessary conversation about the intersection of fraud and domestic abuse. Featuring Own My Life Queeeeen (she is our Business Development Consultant), Emma Chandler, alongside Sam Beckinsale, the episode (available HERE) challenges the way systems currently understand, and often misunderstand, how abusers financially harm their partner.

At the heart of the discussion is Emma’s story.

Emma’s ex-partner, now in prison, was convicted of fraud, due to the multiple ways he financially abused Emma. While he was initially also charged with coercive and controlling behaviour, those charges were dropped after he pleaded guilty to fraud. On paper, this may appear to be a successful prosecution. But as Emma makes clear, the outcome tells only part of the story; and omits a critical truth.

The man who abused her is recorded as a financial offender, not a domestic abuser.

The Invisible Layer of Abuse

What Emma’s case exposes is a systemic blind spot. Fraud, when committed within the context of an intimate relationship, is rarely “just fraud.” It is one strand of the abuser’s broader pattern of coercion, control, and harm.

Emma’s account illustrates how a financial abuser operates not in isolation, but as part of his toolkit that reinforces and exacerbates his other forms of abuse. Her experience challenges persistent myths, particularly the idea that financial abuses only target those without resources or financial independence. Emma’s successful career disrupts these assumptions and highlights that abusers will work towards controlling women in many different contexts.

Crucially, Emma also details the extraordinary burden placed on women to prove what was done to her; at this point she could probably qualify as a forensic accountant! The effort required to build a case strong enough for police action is, in itself, a form of injustice, one that too often goes unacknowledged.

Justice, But Not Quite

Although her ex-husband has been convicted, Emma is left navigating the long-term consequences of his actions. The financial damage does not disappear with a prison sentence. Debts incurred through his fraud, despite it being proven in court, continue to impact her and her children’s lives.

This raises an uncomfortable but vital question: can we truly call this justice?

When systems fail to recognise the full range of an abuser’s tactics, they risk delivering outcomes that are procedurally correct but substantively incomplete. Women are left carrying the weight of harms that have not been fully acknowledged, let alone remedied.

A Policy Gap That Cannot Be Ignored

The episode turns a critical eye toward the Government’s new Fraud Strategy. While the strategy aims to tackle financial crime, it falls short of recognising the gendered and relational dynamics of fraud perpetrated by men, towards women.

Emma rightly calls for a system-wide shift, one that explicitly acknowledges how men use fraud as a mechanism of abusing women. Without this lens, policies risk overlooking a significant proportion of perpetrators and failing to address the realities faced by the women these men harm realities.

Get Emma on the Task Force!

One of the clearest takeaways from the podcast is the importance of involving women in shaping policy and practice. Emma’s insights are not just compelling; they are essential.

Emma’s brilliant articulation of the issues in the podcast should not only inform what decision makers do, but indicate the importance of women being part of the spaces where decisions are made. In particular, there is a strong case for Emma to be included in the Government’s Fraud Task Force. Ensuring that the realities of economic abuse are represented at this level is not just beneficial, it is necessary for meaningful change.

Moving Toward True Economic Justice

If we are serious about advancing economic justice, we must broaden our understanding of harm. Fraud cannot be viewed in isolation when it is used as a tool of coercion and control. Systems must evolve to reflect this reality, and policies must be shaped by those with the skills to both articulate the issues, who have also experienced these failures first-hand.

Emma’s story is both sobering and galvanising. It highlights how far we still have to go, but also points clearly toward what needs to change. Seeing Emma expertly challenged government strategy is a reminder of how just how brilliant women are, and we're proud she's working with us to spread Own My Life far and wide!

Economic justice will only be realised when women are not just heard, but actively included in building the systems meant to protect them.

CLICK HERE to listen to the episode.