John Thomson was warehousekeeper to the Charitable Corporation, but participated in a fraudulent scheme that deprived it of the bulk of its assets.
The Charitable Corporation was a pawnbroking enterprise, making loans against goods at "lawful interest" (then 5%) and "reasonable charges" (amounting to another 5%).
On 25 October Jeremiah Wainwright, the accomptant of the Company placed an advertisement in the London Gazette offering £1000 reward for his apprehension.
He was described as: Five foot seven inches high, from thirty-five to forty years old, a full oval face, large hazle eyes, with large dark bown eyebrows, inclined to be fat, thick legs, and goes with his kneees in, supposed to go away in a blue cloth coat with gold thread buttons.
Sir Robert Sutton one of the Committee sought information from a correspondent in Paris, who sent on a letter from Belloni, offering terms for Thomson's return.