A senior finance executive alleged to be the mystery commuter who ran up a £43,000 bill in unpaid rail fares has left his high-flying position with a leading city firm.

Jonathan Burrows has been named in national newspapers as the commuter who avoided paying the full fare on his journey to London from rural Stonegate for five years.

An out-of-court settlement with rail firm Southeastern – including repaying the money - allowed the passenger to keep his identity secret.

It is not known how the city executive got away with the fare dodging scam for so long,

The British Transport Police and the Financial Conduct Authority are both expected to launch investigations into the scam.

The unmasking of Mr Burrows is the second piece of bad news for the 44-year-old financier who lives in a £2.7 million home in the remote East Sussex countryside.

In October last year, the £1.2 million Aspen House near Wadhurst, which Mr Burrows owns but rents out, was gutted in a devastating fire.

A report in The Times yesterday said Mr Burrows had allegedly resigned from world-leading asset management firm BlackRock after initially being suspended.

A BlackRock spokesman told the newspaper: “Jonathan Burrows has left BlackRock.

“What he’s alleged to have done is totally contrary to our values and our principles.”

Asked about the case by the Daily Mail, Mr Burrows said: "Dunno what you’re talking about."