Tomb Raider Composer Sentenced to 16 Months in Prison for Fraud

British composer and sound designer Peter Connelly, who composed the soundtrack for the Tomb Raider series, was sentenced to 16 months in prison for obtaining a second government-backed loan under false pretenses during the pandemic. Connelly had previously worked on games such as Watch Dogs and Dead Island 2. The UK Government’s Insolvency Service described the incident as “deliberate fraud.”

Tomb Raider Composer Prosecuted for Unauthorized Loan

Connelly, who created The Last Revelation, Chronicles, and The Angel of Darkness in the Tomb Raider series, illegally obtained a total of £59,500 in “Bounce Back Loans” from two different banks in 2020. These loans can only be obtained once. However, Connelly applied for the loan a second time by inflating his company’s revenue.

During the investigation, Connelly stated that he had taken out a personal loan and sold his car to remix the Tomb Raider soundtrack. However, the pandemic prevented progress on the project, and his company went bankrupt in 2021. Unable to repay any of the loans, Connelly later signed a personal debt restructuring agreement, but was found guilty of fraud.

Durham Crown Court sentenced Connelly to 16 months in prison and banned him from holding company directorships for six years. David Snasdell of the UK Insolvency Service stated, “These loan supports were designed to protect small businesses. Peter Connelly clearly breached these rules.”

Connelly, known for his game soundtracks, has also worked as a sound designer on major productions such as Watch Dogs, The Crew, and South Park: The Fractured but Whole. He most recently worked on Dead Island 2, released in 2023. The court decision drew attention as a prominent figure in the gaming industry was brought into the spotlight in the legal process.

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