Asuccessful businesswoman who enlisted her ex-girlfriend to help her run a multimillion-pound party drug operation has been jailed for nine years.
Paula White, 46, masterminded the operation which saw revenues in excess of £3.5 million after selling "legal highs" over the internet which were Class B drugs.
Today a judgeat Bolton Crown Court told her that she had been "the leading player and driving force" in the conspiracy.
The shrewd businesswoman, a former director of defunct football club Chester City, was said to have lived the high life and had been the principal beneficiary of the operation.
As well as living in an £800,000 house in Greater Manchester, she drove an Aston Martin and had a "substantial" villa in Spain.
The court was told that the discovery of the conspiracy was the largest "legal highs" police operation to date.
White made her fortune via a variety of business ventures, including money-lending, handbag design and beauty products.
In 2009 she developed a business plan for the sale of drugs -legal at the time - through her Far East and Dutch suppliers.
In April 2010 the substances became illegal but she knowingly continued to sell them, marked "not for human consumption".
Passing sentence, Judge Davies said: "As a result, you enjoyed a wealthy lifestyle, luxury house, lavish holidays and expensive cars. A lifestyle not enjoyed by others."