Overview

• Thomas Robinson pocketed nearly £553,000 between 2014 and 2019 by selling imported tea leaves as exclusively Scottish-grown.
• He operated as The Wee Tea Plantation and fabricated academic qualifications, awards and unique cultivation methods to win over high-end clients.
• Five-star venues including the Balmoral Hotel, the Dorchester and Fortnum & Mason were among those deceived, and genuine growers were misled into buying bogus plants.
• Sheriff Keith O’Mahony sentenced Robinson to three-and-a-half years in jail at Stirling Sheriff Court on June 25, 2025.
• Robinson now faces Proceeds of Crime Act proceedings to recover his ill-gotten gains after a probe led by Food Standards Scotland.