U2 Bassist's Adam Clayton's Ex-Assistant Gets 7-Year Jail Sentence for Embezzling $3.5 Million

A former assistant for U2's Adam Clayton has been sentenced to seven years in jail for embezzling about $3.5 million (2.8 million euros) from the bassist, the BBC reports.

our editor recommends

U2 Bassist's Adam Clayton's Ex-Assistant Found Guilty of Embezzling $3.5 Million

U2's Bono to Become the World's Richest Musician (Report)

Carol Hawkins, who worked for Clayton for 17 years, was convicted last week in Dublin on 181 counts of theft from 2004 to 2008, during which she had been a signatory on two of Clayton's bank accounts and wrote checks to her personal account. Among her splashiest purchases: 22 horses, luxury vacations and a Volkwagen Golf.

In 2008, Hawkins, 48, confessed to spending between $16,300 and $18,000 (13,000-15,000 euros) of Clayton's money to see her kids in the U.S. and London.

"Nothing, frankly, could explain away the scale of this dishonesty other than the greed in pursuit of a lavish lifestyle that was no responsibility of Mr Clayton's," said Judge Patrick Cartan of Dublin's Circuit Criminal Court in the sentencing on Friday.

She had stated her innocence during the trial; a jury reached a verdict unanimously following five-plus hours of deliberation. After the result was announced, Clayton responded that he was happy and thankful to his legal team.