The Met Police is investigating the Post Office over “potential fraud offences” after the wrongful prosecution of sub-postmasters.
The police confirmed on Friday that they were looking into the handling of the Horizon IT scandal – “such as the monies recovered from subpostmasters as a result of prosecutions or civil actions”.
They are also separately looking into “potential offences of perjury and perverting the course of justice” in an investigation that was launched in January 2020.
Former subpostmasters and subpostmistresses were held liable by the Post Office for financial discrepancies thrown up by its computerised accounting system, Horizon.
Their pursuit led to more than 700 prosecutions, criminal convictions and, in some cases, prison sentences.
Many of those pursued were told to plead guilty to crimes or face jail, according to lawyers who have represented dozens of those impacted.
They were forced to pay the Post Office money it claimed had gone missing, which meant many lost their jobs, homes and lifesavings.
More than half a million people have signed an online petition calling for the former Post Office boss to have her CBE taken away over the scandal.
Paula Vennells later said she was “truly sorry” for the “suffering” caused to sub-postmasters who were wrongly convicted of offences.
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