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A solicitor has been found guilty of defrauding a cancer charity by submitting fraudulent invoices for will-writing services he never provided. Michael Fogg, 47, from Cyncoed, Cardiff, participated in Cancer Research UK’s free will writing scheme, which offers people legal assistance in drafting wills at no cost. However, when the charity reached out to individuals Fogg claimed to have helped, several recipients denied any involvement with him.
During the court proceedings, it was revealed that the charity lost money due to Fogg’s deceit that could otherwise have funded 48 medical biopsies. At Newport Crown Court, Fogg received a sentence of 10 months imprisonment suspended for two years. The investigation into his conduct began after Cancer Research UK discovered that many of the email addresses and contact details provided by Fogg for his alleged clients were invalid or non-existent. Judge Carl Harrison remarked on Fogg’s abuse of his professional position by saying, “You had a position in the legal profession which allowed you to fund your greed.”
Cancer Research UK’s will-writing scheme has been operational for 25 years and allows solicitors to charge the charity a set fee for drafting individual wills (£120 plus VAT) or mirror wills (£170 plus VAT) for couples. Fogg and his firm, Trusting Willpower Ltd, joined the program in 2021. Suspicion arose when the charity sent out 32 thank you cards to people who had supposedly made bequests but several recipients denied any dealings with Fogg. Upon further inquiry, Trusting Willpower Ltd invoiced the charity £29,090, of which £18,150 had already been paid before some payments were withheld pending clarification.
In a deeper probe, Cancer Research UK contacted 250 supposed clients of Fogg, only to find that 58 emails bounced back and others indicated the recipients had never used his services. Among those contacted, multiple individuals reported that they did not live at the addresses Fogg had provided, or had not engaged him for will writing. Further follow-up on 260 wills showed eight people confirmed using the service, but 41 denied any association, and a total of 172 clients had invalid phone numbers. Police were alerted, and after his arrest, Fogg denied fraudulent activity, mostly remaining silent during questioning. The prosecutor estimated the fraud from 40 false invoices amounted to £4,800.
The prosecution described Fogg’s actions as an “abuse of trust and responsibility.” While he was noted to have a previous good character, the damage to the charity was significant: funds lost due to the false claims could have supported cancer treatment and patient care. Fogg expressed remorse through his legal representative, who emphasized his shame and pointed to his family commitments and health challenges, including brain injury, epilepsy, anxiety, and depression. As a result of the conviction, Fogg is no longer practicing as a solicitor. In addition to the suspended sentence, he has been ordered to fulfill a 24-day rehabilitation activity requirement and complete 120 hours of unpaid work
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