F&I Management & Training

The retired owner of a Yorkshire dealer group killed himself because he could no longer cope with being suspected of money laundering.

Stefan Osborne, who had run Osborne Motor Group in Barnsley for 35 years before retiring, gassed himself in his BMW, the Sheffield inquest heard.

Osborne had been subject of a five-year police investigation which alleged he was involved in money laundering.

He was aged 61 when he was discovered dead by his partner, Carol Melody, at their garage on June 8.

The inquest heard Osborne had been suffering from depression, claimed to be caused by the lengthy police investigation.

After the hearing his daughter Michelle and son-in-law Mark Selby told South Yorkshire newspaper The Star that the stress and pressure Osborne was under because of the five-investigation had taken the "ultimate toll".

In the investigation police froze his assets, bank accounts and property.

The couple said the police investigation centred on Mr Osborne's relationship with another car dealer in Leeds who was involved in drug dealing.

Osborne's daughter, Michelle, has been charged with money laundering and is due to stand trial. She denies the charges.

DATED: 24.09.09

FEED: AM