Late brothel keeper Madam Moneybags among criminal debtors

Margaret Paterson, an Edinburgh pimp, had only repaid £219,559 of the sum owed when she died at the age of 66 in September 2019.

In 2013, she was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment after being convicted of brothel-keeping as well as money laundering and living on the earnings of prostitution.

Prosecutors are now seeking the remainder of her ill-gotten gains from her estate. She is one of a group of wealthy criminals from whom the Crown has recovered money.

Figures released under a freedom of information request show that there is £11,917,697 outstanding in confiscation orders imposed under the Proceeds of Crime Act. Almost £5 million is owed by only 10 people.

The money that is recovered from criminals is invested into various community schemes across Scotland.