For Queen and Currency (Audible Audio Edition) Michael Gillard Colin Mace Audible Studios for Bloomsbury Books
Download As PDF : For Queen and Currency (Audible Audio Edition) Michael Gillard Colin Mace Audible Studios for Bloomsbury Books
In For Queen & Currency, investigative journalist Michael Gillard exposes a massive fraud and security scandal at Buckingham Palace that Scotland Yard and the Royal Household tried to suppress. Drawing on thousands of leaked documents and police sources, Gillard tells the inside story of a group of Royalty Protection officers who entertained a life of high-risk gambling, brown envelopes of cash, and striking gangsta poses on the throne of England while supposedly guarding the royal family and their secrets from terrorism and press intrusion.
Paul Page, a young Royal Protection officer turned degenerate gambler, ran a hedge fund for cops during the credit and property booms. His Currency Club bet millions on movement in sterling and gold and paid investors returns beyond the dreams of avarice and financial logic. As word spread to other royal palaces, more protection officers and their friends piled in with savings and cheap loans from banks, many of which were running their own Ponzi scams. Page was hiding huge gambling losses, and when the returns dried up, a hit man threatened his family, sending the royal cop over the edge and on the rampage with a gun.
Scotland Yard tried to spin the scandal to divert attention from its own regulatory failures. But Page refused to go quietly. His sensational trial became an arena to expose the so-called elite Royalty Protection squad and the private life of a senior royal. "The queen is going to be mightily pissed off," he warned. "[There was] an agreed understanding that what happened at Royalty stayed at Royalty." Not anymore.
For Queen and Currency (Audible Audio Edition) Michael Gillard Colin Mace Audible Studios for Bloomsbury Books
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For Queen and Currency (Audible Audio Edition) Michael Gillard Colin Mace Audible Studios for Bloomsbury Books Reviews
Michael Gillard's exposé of corruption, deception and contrivance at all levels, personal and Establishment, is depressing and compelling in equal measure. For Queen and Currency is an account of avarice, greed, manipulation and betrayal with all the elements of a thriller. Ultimately, there are many unanswered questions. A few tasters; why was a low level cop ( albeit one on Royal Protection duties) allowed the apparent freedom to show off a lifestyle way beyond his means? Are there controls to identify and manage rogue cops and if so, how are they used? Any lessons from this account and how much has anything changed?
Paul Page was a junior police officer in a regional force. He seized an opportunity to transfer to 'the Met' and join a supposed elite team of officers on Royal Protection duties. It was an exclusive club bonded by loyalty to other members. Page is a compulsive gambler who dropped lucky. With no skill or knowledge, he hit a streak of legal capital gains on the stock market by trading bank and building society shares. Fuelled by a sense of security, he started spread betting. He did well and used his lawful gains to fund a better lifestyle for his wife and family. House, car, holidays, all came rolling in and his work chums wanted a bit of the action. A small Currency Club of Royal Protection officers threw in their investments to the goose laying the golden egg. No questions asked. The club grew, fuelled solely by greed and a get rich quick attitude. Thousands of pounds of 'interest' ferried to 'investors' in police vehicles whilst on official duty. Page paid others to work his police shift whilst he played the markets. In reality, he was a gambler. An addict who needed money to fuel his habit. When, how and why was it all going to go horribly wrong?
Michael Gillard is a Times journalist and the material is meticulously researched and referenced. The story is set against a background pre the financial collapse of 2008. It's an excellent lay guide to sub prime lending, toxic debt and the reasons for worldwide ( near) collapse of the banking system. But overall, it's an appalling exposé of duplicity and double standards in the very institutions which should be above and beyond doubt; police, law and Government. Whilst it's clear that Page was a greedy and corrupt individual, one prepared to exploit friends and family to further his own gains, the more interesting sub story is the extent to which those who should have known better were papered not only to turn a blind eye, bug to get involved.
It's an illuminating read and one which left me saddened in the belief that possibly very little has changed. A rogue cop is an easy and expendable target. The 'bankers' are still collecting their bonuses for similar actions with no accountability.
Gritty and honest, it's a horrible reflection of our pecuniary society and values.
My thanks to the publisher for a review copy via Netgalley.
Good read
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