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J.K. Rowling sues former assistant, claiming she spent thousands on herself for candles, makeup and cats

Writer J.K. Rowling at the world premiere of the film "Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald" in Paris on Nov. 8. She has filed suit against a former assistant.
(Christophe Ena / Associated Press)
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“Harry Potter” creator J.K. Rowling is suing a former personal assistant for more than $30,000 for allegedly using a credit card on purchases for herself, as well as stealing cash and Harry Potter memorabilia.

Rowling filed a suit in Scotland claiming that Amanda Donaldson used the author’s credit card to make unauthorized purchases at a candle shop, stationery store, makeup store and to purchase two cats, the BBC reports.

Rowling claims that Donaldson spent more than $4,700 at cosmetics company Molton Brown, nearly $2,800 at stationery shop Paper Tiger, almost $2,000 at luxury candle store Jo Malone and $2,000 at Starbucks. In addition, Rowling alleges that Donaldson stole $4,000 worth of “Harry Potter” memorabilia from the author, as well as more than $10,000 in foreign currency that Rowling had stored in a safe.

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She also allegedly bought two cats for more than $1,500.

The alleged purchases were noted by accountants routinely reviewing statements, the BBC reports, “revealing a high volume of personal spending by Ms. Donaldson.”

Donaldson, who was fired by Rowling last April, denied the claims.

Rowling, whose “Harry Potter” books became a worldwide phenomenon after the first volume was published 21 years ago, was the world’s highest-paid author in 2017, Forbes reported last year.

Her latest book, the detective novel “Lethal White,” published under the pen name Robert Galbraith, was released in September.

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