Covid PPE fraudsters spent money on cars and watches

Fraudsters who carried out a personal protective equipment (PPE) scam during the Covid-19 pandemic spent hundreds of thousands of pounds on luxury cars, watches and home renovations.

Jogesh Bhandari, 59, and Craig Morris, 43, were convicted on Wednesday at Leicester Crown Court following a trial of two counts of conspiracy to commit fraud by false representation as well as concealing and transferring criminal property.

Meenakashi Bhandari, 48, was found guilty of concealing and transferring criminal property. The National Crime Agency (NCA) said the group claimed they could supply millions of boxes of nitrile gloves.

They are due to be sentenced on 21 August.

The NCA said bank records showed that Jogesh Bhandari and his wife, Meenakashi Bhandari, both of Mitchell Drive in Loughborough, Leicestershire, used the money to buy Rolexes, jewellery, holiday packages and cars.

Jogesh spent £126,000 on a new Porsche while other cash was used for a kitchen refurbishment, the NCA said.

According to the NCA, Jogesh owned and controlled a company set up in 2020 to buy and sell nitrile gloves, while Morris helped in a number of fraudulent deals in 2020 and 2021.

The agency said Jogesh supplied a number of forged documents to potential suppliers, including bank statements showing up to $125m and letters of attestation to try and persuade businesses to trade with him.