Indian-origin couple convicted in UK over coronavirus PPE fraud that funded £126,000 for Porsche, Rolex World News
An Indian-origin couple have been found guilty of a multi-million pound fraud in the UK that funded a lavish lifestyle including a £126,000 Porsche, Rolex watches and expensive home upgrades, taking advantage of the desperate need for protective gear during the Covid-19 pandemic.Jogesh Bhandari, 59, and his wife Meenakashi Bhandari, 48, were found guilty at Leicester Crown Court in England of offenses relating to fraud and dealing with criminal property. Craig Morris, 43, was also found guilty of conspiracy to defraud by false representation and related offences. According to the BBC, the three will be sentenced on August 21.
Personal Protective Equipment Scam
The National Crime Agency (NCA) said the group claimed it could supply millions of boxes of nitrile gloves at a time when hospitals and businesses are in desperate need of protective equipment.Jogesh Bhandari ran a company established in 2020 and engaged in the glove trade, while Morris helped arrange fraudulent transactions in 2020 and 2021. To convince buyers, the group used forged documents, including bank statements showing balances as high as $125 million, and forged letters to support their claims.
luxury consumption
Investigators found that money obtained through the scam was used to purchase luxury goods and lifestyle upgrades. Bank records show Jogesh and Meenakashi Bhandari purchased Rolex watches, jewelry, vacation products and high-end cars.Jogesh also bought a £126,000 Porsche, part of which was used to renovate the kitchen.
WhatsApp messages exposed
Thousands of WhatsApp messages uncovered during the investigation showed how the pair discussed taking advantage of shortages of personal protective equipment.Morris wrote in one message: “All the news is about PPE shortages. Let’s clean up! Milk the cows… put some oil in your boots.”“It’s about good teamwork and everyone making money,” replied Jogesh.In another exchange, Jogesh shared a picture of a Rolls-Royce and said: “But if I want one of those, then we need to move on.”
Millions of people have been scammed through fake transactions
The NCA said one of the biggest scams began in November 2020, when a company agreed to buy 12 million boxes of gloves. Rather than being safely held in an escrow account, the funds were immediately transferred to Joe Gesch and U.S. attorney Frank Labruzzo, who was said to be operating a fraudulent escrow service.A month later, another $2.7 million was deposited into the account, nearly $500,000 of which was used to pay off debts owed by Chougesh and his wife. In early 2021, Chogesh received gloves worth more than $3.18 million, but the gloves were never delivered to hospitals in the United States.In a later transaction, he deposited $1.35 million directly into his business account and wired £200,000 to Morris before purchasing the Porsche.All three defendants were arrested in February 2023.“All of this activity occurred during the height of the pandemic, when demand for personal protective equipment surged,” said Paul Boniface, NCA operations manager. “Bhandari and his co-conspirators exploited these loopholes to exploit personal and corporate interests for their own financial gain, paying for a lavish lifestyle with luxury cars and significant home renovations.”He added: “The impact of fraud like this, which diverts vital equipment away from genuine organizations, is far-reaching and extends beyond the direct loss to the legitimate businesses involved.”
