A second investigation has been launched into a £282,000 payment made to the former principal of Aberdeen University.
The Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) has confirmed it is looking into the money paid to Professor Sir Ian Diamond.
In June, The Press and Journal revealed that the Scottish Funding Council (SFC), which oversees higher education governance and finances, had launched an inquiry into the payment.
The £282,000 was paid to Sir Ian for working his notice, after serving in the top job at the ancient institution for seven years.
He had announced that he planned to retire in August 2017, but only triggered his year-long notice period in July 2018, the same month he officially stepped down from the prestigious post.
The terms of the SFC probe are due to be announced next week, and it is expected to be completed in December.
Aberdeen University is also a registered charity, and OSCR has now confirmed that it is investigating the payment as well as the SFC.
The charities’ regulator said: “We can confirm that we have an ongoing inquiry.
“In line with our inquiry policy, we cannot comment on an ongoing inquiry as this may prejudice the work of OSCR and the charity.”
It was announced earlier this month that Sir Ian had been appointed by the Queen as the next chief executive of the UK Statistics Authority, the permanent secretary of the Office for National Statistics, and head of the Government Statistical Service.