Former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell admits embezzling more than £400,000 from party
Former SNP chief executive remanded in custody
Former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell has pleaded guilty to embezzling more than £400,000 from the political party.
Murrell, who was married to former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon for almost 15 years, admitted embezzling £400,310.65 from the SNP when he appeared at the High Court in Edinburgh this morning (May 25).
The 61-year-old wore a black suit and black tie as he arrived at the High Court, where he has now been remanded in custody awaiting sentence, which is due to take place on June 23.
The former chief executive was charged with embezzling the funds from the Scottish National Party between August 2010 and October 2022.
He admitted an amended indictment which reduced the amount of the embezzled money down from more than £459,000.
Murrell has admitted using the SNP’s money to buy items including a motorhome and luxury goods, and towards the purchase of two cars.
The former party boss was first arrested in April 2023 as part of the police investigation into the SNP’s finances, and was charged in April 2024.
He appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court in March 2025 where he faced a charge of embezzlement, making no plea.
The indictment included allegations that in 2020 Murrell used party funds to buy a £124,550 motorhome for his own personal use.
Until he stood down in 2023 during the leadership race to succeed Ms Sturgeon, Murrell had been chief executive of the SNP for more than 20 years.
They had previously been one of the most powerful couples in UK politics for many years, with Ms Sturgeon serving for more than eight years as Scottish first minister and SNP leader, while Mr Murrell was the chief executive of the party.
In January last year, Ms Sturgeon announced she and Murrell had “decided to end” their marriage.
Murrell’s conviction is the result of a police investigation called Operation Branchform, which was first launched in 2021.
The operation investigated the SNP’s funding and finances and involved several high-profile arrests.
The policing cost of the long-running investigation reached more than £2 million.