UK Fraudster Jailed for Multi-Million Pound PPE Scam
Craig Morris received a prison sentence for his role in fraudulent deals involving personal protective equipment during the COVID-19 pandemic.
A fraudster has been jailed for his part in scamming medical companies out of millions of pounds through bogus personal protective equipment (PPE) deals at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Craig Morris, 43, and Jogesh Bhandari, 60, were convicted of conspiracy to commit fraud by false representation and concealing and transferring criminal property.
Morris was sentenced to three years and nine months in prison at Leicester Crown Court on Wednesday. Bhandari, who was described by the prosecution as the "driving force and the instigator" of the scheme, is scheduled for sentencing on October 16. His absence from the recent hearing was attributed to painkiller use following a pacemaker fitting, though the judge noted a lack of medical evidence to support this. A bench warrant has been issued for his sentencing.
Morris's wife, Meenakashi Bhandari, 58, received a two-year suspended sentence, 250 hours of unpaid work, and 15 days of rehabilitation activity for concealing and transferring criminal property.
The court heard that Bhandari and Morris operated under a company called Banton, posing as major players in the PPE market. They falsely claimed to have millions of boxes of nitrile gloves available for supply in the US and Germany. The fraudulent deals defrauded US company Med18 and German firm MedTech. The proceeds of the fraud were used for personal benefit, including the purchase of luxury cars, holidays, and property. Prosecutor Michael Bisgrove stated that the offenders "saw the opportunity to make money by fraud" amidst the desperate shortage of PPE during the pandemic.