Joyti De-Laurey denies the charges against her

Joyti De-Laurey, 34, from North Cheam in Surrey, denies stealing nearly £4.5m from several leading bankers over a two-year period.

She also spent thousands on hotels, cars for relatives, and properties in Britain and Cyprus, the jury was told.

Her husband Anthony and her mother Dr Devi Schahhou deny money laundering.

'Flying lessons'

Southwark Crown Court heard Mrs De-Laurey spent nearly £18,000 on one trip to Cartier jewellers - and more than £72,000 over 12 trips.

She spent another £7,614 on trips to five other jewellers between July and December 2001, the jury heard.

Stuart Trimmer, prosecuting, said she also bought new cars for relatives and ordered a £175,000 Aston Martin and a £150,000 power boat, neither of which were ever delivered.

More money went on designer clothes and travel bills and more than £2,000 paid for flying lessons.

The prosecution has claimed she stole more than £1m from the New York investment holdings of Jennifer Moses and her husband Ron Beller, who were both directors of the investment bank Goldman Sachs.

More than £3m was taken from Edward Scott Mead, another Goldman Sachs director, the court was told.

Allegations denied

Mr Trimmer said Mrs De-Laurey's plans had "begun to come together" in January 2002 when she allegedly organised a transfer of £2.25m from Mr Scott Mead's account into her own.

"This is in a different league. This is the largest single act of dishonesty by the first defendant," he said.

"It involved taking what could properly be described as a vast sum of money for the purpose of setting her family up in Cyprus."

He said Mrs De-Laurey had faxed the bank in Cyprus to say she would know for sure if the family was moving to Cyprus within the next 14 days.

Mrs De-Laurey, of London Road, North Cheam, denies obtaining money transfers by deception and using false cheques between 27 June 2000 and 26 April 2002.

Mr De-Laurey, 50, and Mrs Schahhou, 67, a Hampstead doctor, of King Henry's Road, Hampstead, north-west London have denied allegations they helped her launder money.