Eric Miller

Sir Eric Merton Miller (28 September 1926 – 22 September 1977) was an English businessman, who committed suicide while under investigation for fraud.

Early life Miller was brought up in the Jewish community in Croydon, Surrey, and left school at the age of 16 to enlist in the Royal Air Force and was stationed at Drigh Road in Karachi (modern-day Pakistan) and served through the Partition. On his return, he worked as an estate agent in London. Shortly thereafter, he was spotted as a business talent by George Farrow who ran a small property company called Peachey. Farrow recruited Miller to work for him, and after Farrow's retirement, Miller became Chairman of Peachey.

Investigations Miller received a knighthood in the 1976 Prime Minister's Resignation Honours list. However, rumours were already growing that the financial dealings of his companies had not been legitimate, and his inclusion in the list was criticised. Investigations uncovered the siphoning off of large sums from the Peachey Property Corporation, and Miller was forced from the chairmanship and eventually off the Peachey board entirely in early 1977. The Fraud Squad and Department of Trade launched investigations, and Miller was served with four writs seeking restitution of funds he had allegedly taken.

Personal life and death Miller was twice married,

Miller committed suicide in September 1977, shooting himself in the head on the Jewish Day of Atonement.