Charles Ingram

Charles Ingram is an ex-Army Major who made headlines in the United Kingdom by being accused of cheating on the television show Who wants to Be a Millionaire. Despite later being convicted of procuring the execution of a valuable security by deception, Ingram maintains he did not cheat.

The show was recorded on September 10, 2001. Ingram won the £1,000,000 prize, but the payout was suspended when he was accused of cheating by having an accomplice (Tecwen Whittock) cough when the correct answer was read out by show host Chris Tarrant. Following a trial at Southwark Crown Court lasting a month, Major Ingram, his wife Mrs Diana Ingram and Mr Tecwen Whittock were convicted of "procuring the execution of a valuable security by deception" on 7 April 2003. Ingram and his wife were each given suspended 18-month prison sentences and fined £15,000, while Whittock received a 12-month suspended sentence and was fined £10,000.

In October 2003, Ingram was convicted of obtaining property by deception in an insurance case. Charles Ingram and his wife Diana participated in the Channel Four TV show "Wife Swap" earlier that month.

Ingram was a commissioned officer in the Royal Engineers. On 24 July 2003 the British Army ordered Charles Ingram to resign his commission as a Major.

Following his insurance conviction a "fly-on-the-wall" documentary shown on BBC television showed Ingram trying to build a career in television and public speaking.

Diana Ingram was also a contestant on Who wants to Be a Millionaire? and won £32,000 in April 2001. Her brother, Adrian Pollock, also won the same prize in a December 2000 appearance.