Boris Johnson ‘backed “tech friend” Jennifer Arcuri for £100k-a-year job’ as it’s revealed he will have to hand over private texts messages with her to investigators or face jail
- The PM reportedly wrote a letter recommending the former model for a job
- Mr Johnson must provide details of his relationship to the London Assembly
- Leaked emails showed Mr Johnson was listed as a reference in her application
By Sophie Law For Mailonline
Published: 21:10 EDT, 5 October 2019 | Updated: 21:10 EDT, 5 October 2019
Boris Johnson could be forced to hand over text messages and emails he sent American businesswoman Jennifer Arcuri or face prison – after it was revealed he backed her for a £100,000-a-year job.
The prime minister reportedly wrote a letter recommending the former model for a role as the head of a technology quango when he was mayor of London.
Amid a storm over his association with his ‘tech friend’, Mr Johnson must provide details of his relationship by Tuesday to a summons from the London Assembly.
Boris Johnson could be forced to hand over text messages and emails he sent American businesswoman Jennifer Arcuri or face prison
If the leader fails to respond to the summons, he could be handed a sentence of up to three months in prison.
The leaked emails seen by the Sunday Times showed Mr Johnson was listed as a reference in her application for the role at Tech City.
Ms Arcuri was said to have been a 27-year-old student at the time of applying for the £100,000 a year job.
In an email leaked to the paper, she allegedly later wrote: ‘I still have the letter of rec from Boris. hahaha. To think that we asked him to write us a recommendation for the CEO of Tech City is just hysterical.’
She listed ‘Boris Johnson, Mayor of London’ as a reference on the application, according to the paper.
Amid a storm over his association with his ‘tech friend’, Mr Johnson must provide details of his relationship by Tuesday to a summons from the London Assembly
The report adds to mounting questions about the Prime Minister’s past links with Ms Arcuri.
Last month, Mr Johnson was referred to the police complaints body to assess whether he should face a criminal investigation over his association with the businesswoman.
It follows reports by the same paper that Ms Arcuri was given £126,000 in public money and privileged access to three foreign trade missions led by Mr Johnson while he was mayor.
The report adds to mounting questions about the Prime Minister’s past links with Ms Arcuri
Johnson’s link to US tech entrepreneur, Jennifer Arcuri, is currently under a police watchdog investigation after she loaned more than £700,000 to her own company before being awarded a £100,000 government grant.
It is alleged that she received favourable treatment due to her ‘friendship’ with Johnson, who was London Mayor at the time.
There are further allegations that the two of them shared a sexual relationship.
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