An Indian-origin couple who exploited the urgent demand for protective equipment during the Covid-19 pandemic have been convicted in a multimillion-pound fraud case in the United Kingdom that funded a lavish lifestyle, including a £126,000 Porsche, Rolex watches and expensive home upgrades.Jogesh Bhandari, 59, and his wife Meenakashi Bhandari, 48, were found guilty at Leicester Crown Court, UK, of offences linked to fraud and handling criminal property. Craig Morris, 43, was also convicted of conspiracy to commit fraud by false representation and related offences. All three are due to be sentenced on 21 August, the BBC reported.
PPE scam
The National Crime Agency (NCA) said the group claimed they could supply millions of boxes of nitrile gloves at a time when hospitals and businesses were urgently trying to secure protective equipment.Jogesh Bhandari ran a company set up in 2020 to trade gloves, while Morris helped arrange fraudulent deals across 2020 and 2021. To persuade buyers, the group used forged documents, including bank statements showing balances of up to $125 million, along with fake letters to support their claims.
Luxury spending
Investigators found that money obtained through the scam was spent on luxury goods and lifestyle upgrades. Bank records showed Jogesh and Meenakashi Bhandari bought Rolex watches, jewellery, holidays and high-end vehicles.Jogesh also purchased a Porsche worth £126,000, while some of the funds were used to renovate their kitchen.
WhatsApp messages revealed
Thousands of WhatsApp messages uncovered during the investigation showed how the pair discussed taking advantage of the PPE shortage.In one message, Morris wrote: “All over the news is all about PPE shortage. Let’s clean up!! Milk it… fill ya boots.”Jogesh replied: “It’s about good teamwork and everyone making money.”In another exchange, Jogesh shared an image of a Rolls-Royce and said: “But if I want one of these then we need to keep going.”
Millions taken through fake deals
The NCA said one of the largest scams began in November 2020, when a company agreed to buy 12 million boxes of gloves. Instead of being held securely in an escrow account, the funds were immediately released to Jogesh and US attorney Frank Labruzzo, who was said to be running a fraudulent escrow service.A month later, another $2.7 million was paid into the account, with nearly $500,000 used to clear debts owed by Jogesh and his wife. In early 2021, Jogesh received more than $3.18 million for gloves that were never delivered to hospitals in the United States.In a later deal, he received $1.35 million directly into his business account, sent £200,000 to Morris and then purchased the Porsche.All three defendants were arrested in February 2023.Paul Boniface, operations manager at the NCA, said: “All of this activity occurred at the height of the pandemic, where the demand for PPE went through the roof. Bhandari and his co-conspirators capitalised on these vulnerabilities by exploiting people and businesses for their own financial gain, paying for lavish lifestyles of luxury cars and significant home improvements.”He added: “Fraud like this diverts essential equipment away from genuine organisations and the effects are far-reaching, beyond immediate losses for the legitimate businesses involved.”
