Who is Hamish Ogston and what has he been accused of?

WEALTHY businessman and philanthropist Hamish Ogston has allegedly been entangled in a sex immigration scandal.

He has been accused of trafficking Thai and Filipina women into the UK for many years.

Who is Hamish Ogston?

Hamish Ogston, originally from Yorkshire, was born in 1948 and is a British businessman and philanthropist.

As a young adult, he joined the Norwegian Merchant Navy which took him to work in Canada.

From Canada, he travelled to and worked in New Zealand, Australia and Tahiti.

He had a variety of jobs during that time, working on building sites, farms and in advertising.

Hamish studied for a degree in Management Sciences and graduated in 1970.

Once he completed university, he co-founded Countdown PLC, the first retail loyalty card company in Europe.

He also co-founded the Guinness World of Records Museum in London’s Trocadero in 1979.

In 1980, Hamish was one of the original investors in a specialist company that delivered sporting and cultural occasions such as the Olympic Games and the football World Cup.

As well as being a successful businessman, Hamish is also known for his philanthropic efforts.

In 2008 he gave £2 million to the York Minister which helped them to reach their funding target to begin restoration work.

Hamish is the vice president of the Georgian Theatre Royal in North Yorkshire and a former benefactor of the Oxford Philharmonic Trust.

He has donated money to many charitable causes, such as rebuilding a school organ and helping rebuild Christchurch Cathedral in New Zealand following the 2011 earthquake.

Hamish was appointed a CBE in 2011 for his services to business and the community in York.

What is Hamish Ogston’s net worth?

Hamish Ogston is a multi-millionaire.

According to the Sunday Times Rich list in 2020, he had a net worth of £131 million.

What has he been accused of?

In October 2023, reports emerged that Hamish had been exploiting southeastern Asian women since the early 2000s.

He has also been accused of hosting women in his home for sex work after some came to the UK as tourists.

Hamish faces allegations of breaking immigration laws, prostitution and human trafficking, some of which date back 15 years.

The Met Police have said they are looking into the allegations, which Hamish denies.

In a statement he said: “This paints a picture of my personal life that I simply do not recognise. I do not exploit women. I am very sad that the publication of these allegations is going to cause immeasurable harm to the charities which I have been able to support over the years.”