UKIP suspends MEP involved in embezellment allegations

According to a press release from the UKIP Party Chairman, the UKIP MEP, Tom Wise, who has found himself embroiled in allegations of embezzling tens of thousands of taxpayers money for pretending to be someone else, has been suspended from the UKIP group in the European parliament.

His suspension is pending the completion of the investiagtion by OLAF (the European Anti-Fraud Office) and the UKIP chairman has said that his suspension "should in no way be interpreted as prejudicial to the outcome of that enquiry".

What surprises me about this is that the European Anti-Fraud Office is actually doing some sort of work. Ever since I studied the big European Commission fraud scandal, I've been under the impression that anti-fraud in the EU was more an aspiration than a commitment.

Update: This does appear to be a slight backtrack from the official statement issued by UKIP a few days ago, where they said they would wait for the enquiry to complete and "take whatever steps it deems appropriate as a consequence of that enquiry". Perhaps Tom Wise is in more trouble than was originally thought?