Pop star Rita Ora among 拢3.4m fraud victims

Image caption, One of Rita Ora's companies Ora Multi Services was a client of Blue Cube Business

An accountant has admitted defrauding high-profile clients, including pop star Rita Ora, out of about 拢3.4m.

Andrew Munday, 37, targeted the former X Factor judge and others, using the money from the fraud to buy houses.

His offences took place while he was employed by now-defunct accountancy firm Blue Cube Business Ltd, police said.

Munday, of Velocette Way, Northampton, pleaded guilty at the town's crown court to nine counts of fraud.

After the case Ora's lawyer Graham Shear, of international legal firm Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner, said a "substantial part" of the money taken from his client had been recovered.

Mr Shear, who is head of international litigation with the firm, described Munday's actions as "pretty disgraceful".

Image source, Getty Images

Image caption, The court heard one of the victims of the fraud was VV Brown, who was behind the 2009 hit single Shark in the Water

Another victim of the scam was Northamptonshire songwriter VV Brown.

Brown, best known for her 2009 hit single Shark in the Water, said in a statement: "Thank goodness for indemnity insurance.

"It left me in good stead financially despite the crime. I went into this case pregnant. Two years later I came out of this maze pregnant again with my second baby, fighting, fit and alive.

"I am a survivor."

Judge Rupert Mayo remanded Munday in custody and said he would be sentenced after pre-sentence reports had been written.