Katherine Greenall Jailed for £443,000 Fraud to Fund TikTok Addiction

A 29-year-old mother, Katherine Greenall, has been sentenced to 28 months in prison for stealing over £443,000 from her employer to support what her lawyer described as a TikTok addiction.

Greenall, from Gloucester Street in St Helens, worked as an accounts manager at New Reg Ltd, a car company based in the UK. Her role gave her access to business accounts, which she used to carry out 121 fraudulent transactions.

Addiction Led to Financial Disaster

Liverpool Crown Court heard that Greenall transferred large sums of money into her personal accounts, eventually using £301,162 to buy TikTok tokens and gift them to content creators between February 2024 and April 2025.

Initially, Greenall said the money was spent on household needs, including food, clothes, holidays, and paying for a solicitor. But the situation escalated, and her spending on TikTok gifts became the biggest part of her fraud.

“It was not for financial reward. It was for entertainment. She became addicted to being on TikTok,” said defense lawyer Paul Becker.

From Trusted Employee to Convicted Fraudster

Greenall was considered a trusted and key part of the company’s success. But her actions placed the company at financial risk, as profits began to fall, triggering internal investigations.

On May 1, 2025, after being questioned by management, she claimed she would look into the missing money — but instead transferred another £20,000, claiming it was for a family illness. She confessed to the fraud on May 7 and was arrested on May 13.

No Previous Convictions, But Lives Affected

Greenall, who has no criminal record, admitted to fraud by abuse of position. Her two children — a six-year-old girl and an 11-year-old boy with ADHD — will now live with her sister, a nursery worker.

While there’s no formal diagnosis, her lawyer argued that she may have been addicted to TikTok, leading to irrational and destructive behavior.

“This is fraud on a massive scale… She is thoroughly ashamed and came to court prepared for the inevitable,” said Becker.