DRAGONS’ Den stars Peter Jones and Theo Paphitis lost nearly £33,000 in a scam.

The tycoons were hit by a bent accountant forging cheques at their firm Red Letter Days.

Finance officer Akilan Selvathiravam, 34, was facing jail last night after admitting a two-month fraud.

“They will be hugely embarrassed this happened at one of their companies.”

Married dad-of-one Selvathiravam looked after cheques and cash in the safe at the firm’s HQ in Southgate, North London.

Prosecutor Linda Shamel told Wood Green crown court: “He falsified cheques and signatures, claiming they were corporate refunds and then cashed them.

“There were a large number falsified. He admitted doing it because he had a gambling addiction.”