Britain's former highest paid banker who dated Elle Macpherson and earned up to £75million a year is among four former Barclays bosses facing fraud charges today.

Scot Roger Jenkins, 61, who lives in a £25million Malibu mansion, will be prosecuted by the Serious Fraud Office along with former chief executive John Varley in the first case in Britain relating to the 2008 financial crash.

Former investment bank bosses Thomas Kalaris, 61, and Richard Boath, 58 were also charged today along with the bank itself after a five-year investigation by the SFO.

The multi-millionaires were among the Barclays bosses credited with ‘saving’ the bank during the crash and helping it avoid a painful bailout.

Scot Roger Jenkins, 61, who was once Britain's richest banker and dated Elle Macpherson, pictured together in 2012, is among four former Barclays bosses facing fraud charges today

But they now face court over the British bank's £7billion emergency fundraising during the financial crisis and if convicted could all face years in jail.

The cash injection from the Middle East meant Barclays avoided a state bailout, as well as Government scrutiny of its bonuses and high-risk practices.

But the former bosses and the bank lender, who all deny any wrongdoing, are alleged alleged to have illegally paid Qatari investors £322m to take part.

Barclays and four of its bosses including former chief executive John Varley (pictured leaving the Treasury in 2008) have today been charged with conspiracy to commit fraud at the height of the financial crisis

Mr Jenkins' lawyer, Brad Kaufman of law firm Greenberg Traurig, said: 'Mr Jenkins intends to vigorously defend himself against these charges.

'As one might expect in the challenging circumstances of 2008, Mr Jenkins sought and received both internal and external legal advice on all of the matters covered by the accusations levelled today by the SFO.'

Mr Jenkins' was reputedly Britain's highest paid banker earning between £45million and £75million in his pomp before leaving in 2009.

While at Barclays he ran the bank's legal but much-criticised tax avoidance division.

He was also the former executive chairman of Investment Banking and Investment Management in the Middle East and North Africa for Barclays Capital.

He now lives in America and is backing a fund that has bought land in California to set up a huge marijuana-growing business hoping to make money from the legalisation of cannabis known as America's 'green rush'

Jenkins, a talented athlete who once sprinted for Scotland in the Commonwealth Games, has been described as a ‘big presence with a big ego’ but well respected in the bank.

Elle Macpherson is pictured enjoying a holiday in Ibiza with her then banker boyfriend Roger Jenkins five years ago

Two former senior executives, Thomas Kalaris, 61, and Richard Boath, 58 were also charged today

His formidable and glamorous Bosnian former wife, Sanela Dijana Catic, who changed her name to Diana, met Jenkins in a gym and reinvented herself as a socialite and philanthropist after they were married in 1999.

Mrs Jenkins once complained of effectively being an ‘Eastern European mail order bride’ on the London social scene, but both of them insist their divorce five years ago was amicable.

Jenkins — whose portfolio included a £25 million house in Malibu, where he lives — insisted it was ‘quite right’ she had half his fortune.

The SFO has also charged Roger Jenkins (pictured) with the provision of unlawful financial assistance

He began dating Elle Macpherson in 2012 but the relationship 'fizzled out' because she spent too much time in Britain.

A friend said at the time: 'Roger was reluctant to spend more time in London, which led to the end of their relationship'.

The bank's former chief executive John Varley has also been charged with conspiracy to commit fraud.

Varley, who married into one of the founding Barclays’ families and ran it from 2004 to 2010, was known at the bank as a 'gentleman' who wore his colourful braces, had a passion for ping-pong, and his rapier brain.

He was at the helm in the thick of the financial crisis, and has been interviewed along with other former bosses, by the Serious Fraud Office over the bank’s dealings with Qatari investors. He and other individuals, who deny wrongdoing, have not been charged.

Mr Varley has been on the Rio board since September 2011 and also chairs the firm's remuneration committee.

Jan du Plessis, chairman of Rio, praised Mr Varley's 'outstanding contribution' and said: 'The board holds him in the highest regard'.

The Serious Fraud Office will also prosecute Jenkins and Varley for the provision of unlawful financial assistance relating to its emergency fundraising during the financial crisis.

The SFO said it had brought the charges against the bank itself as well as former senior executives, Thomas Kalaris, 61, and Richard Boath, 58 were also charged.

The SFO has also charged Barclays plc, Mr Varley and Mr Jenkins with the provision of unlawful financial assistance.

The Serious Fraud Office has previously interviewed a string of top Barclays bankers under caution, including former chief executives John Varley and Bob Diamond.

Barclays said it is 'considering its position in relation to these developments'.

The bank added: 'Barclays awaits further details of the charges from the SFO.

'The SFO has informed Barclays that it has not made a decision as to whether it will also bring charges against Barclays Bank Plc in respect of the loan.'

Probe: Eight former Barclays bosses have been investigated by the Serious Fraud Office

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has also reopened its probe into the Qatari fundraising deal and is understood to be reviewing new evidence which could prompt it to reconsider a £50 million fine against the banking giant four years ago.

The emergency funds raised by Barclays allowed it to avoid a government bailout in 2008 at a time when rivals Lloyds Banking Group and Royal Bank of Scotland were forced to rely on a taxpayer rescue.

Mr Varley, who was chief executive between 2004 and 2011, headed the bank at the time of the fundraising, while Mr Jenkins is also said to have played a key role in orchestrating the deal.

Mr Kalaris - an American banker living in London - used to lead the bank's wealth and investment management division, while Mr Boath was the former European head of financial institutions group at Barclays.

The defendants will appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on July 3.

The way the bank secured the investments in 2008 has since been mired in controversy.

Investigations have focused on two 'advisory services agreements' worth £322 million, which Barclays agreed to pay the Qatar Investment Authority.

The FCA slapped a £50 million penalty on the bank in 2013 after finding that Barclays had failed to disclose arrangements and fees it paid to the Qatari investors.

Barclays contested the fine and the challenge was put on hold while the SFO conducted its investigation, but that stay has been lifted.

The United States Department of Justice and the US Securities and Exchange Commission have also been carrying out investigations over the payments.

Barclays is meanwhile facing legal action from financier Amanda Stavely to recoup £700 million in advisory fees from Barclays she claims her firm, PCP Partners, is owed relating to the 2008 fundraising, which Barclays is defending.

The charges will come as a further headache for current Barclays boss Jes Staley after a series of recent blows, with the chief executive also facing a regulatory investigation into his own conduct after he attempted to identify a whistleblower.