Fat bonus for ‘fraud’ slip-up National Lottery chief

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Dame Dianne Thompson could be handed up to £1million annually until 2019

It is believed that Dame Dianne Thompson, 66, who retired as chief executive of Camelot in 2014, was paid £800,000 last year and could be handed up to £1million annually until 2019. 

Her staff were allegedly fooled into approving a £2.5million jackpot payout to convicted rapist Edward Putman in 2009. 

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The 51-year-old, of Kings Langley, Herts, has not been charged with any offence. 

However, Camelot was this month fined £3million for failing to probe properly the claim that he had fiddled his win using inside information about an unclaimed jackpot. 

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Labour deputy leader Tom Watson said the payouts were ‘astonishing’

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Dame Dianne Thompson retired as chief executive of Camelot in 2014

The Gambling Commission has ruled that a “deliberately damaged ticket” probably won the payout in 2009. 

I find it astonishing

Deputy Labour leader Tom Watson

A spokeswoman for Camelot said: “Dianne Thompson remains eligible for payments she has already earned under Camelot’s Long-Term Incentive Plan, which will be for targets achieved in the years up to her leaving the company.” 

However, Labour’s deputy leader Tom Watson said: “I find it astonishing that despite the biggest fraud in Lotto history, senior directors continue to receive millions in payouts.” 

Putman’s win became public in 2012 when he was jailed for illegally claiming £13,000 in benefits. It emerged he was jailed for seven years in 1993 for rape.