Peter Murrell, the former chief executive of the Scottish National Party (SNP), has pleaded guilty to embezzling more than £400,000 ($540,000) from party funds to finance a luxurious lifestyle.

Murrell, the estranged husband of former Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, entered his guilty plea at the High Court in Edinburgh on Monday and was remanded in custody. He served as SNP chief executive from 2001 until his arrest in 2023.

His arrest was part of a police investigation into whether approximately £600,000 in donations intended for the SNP's Scottish independence campaign were misused. Sturgeon was also arrested but cleared of any wrongdoing; she announced her divorce from Murrell in January 2025.

The 61-year-old Murrell originally faced charges of embezzling £459,000 but pleaded guilty to a reduced amount. He admitted using the money to purchase a motorhome, two cars, and luxury goods.

SNP leader John Swinney expressed outrage at a press conference, stating: "By embezzling from the SNP, Peter Murrell was stealing the hopes, the dreams and the aspirations of thousands of people all over Scotland. I am horrified, I am betrayed."

Murrell is scheduled to appear in court again on June 2, when full details of his crimes will be disclosed, and will be sentenced on June 23.

The guilty plea caps a five-year police investigation and a tumultuous period for Scotland's dominant party and the former power couple at its helm.

Source: www.dw.com