An Indian-origin couple has been convicted in the United Kingdom for carrying out a multi-million-dollar COVID-era personal protective equipment (PPE) fraud, using the proceeds to fund a lavish lifestyle that included a 126,000 pound Porsche, Rolex watches, luxury holidays and expensive home renovations.
Read Full StoryCraig Morris, 43, who represented the couple's company in several fraudulent PPE deals during 2020 and 2021, was also convicted.
"The COVID-19 pandemic was a time of uncertainty for the world, and the increased need for PPE equipment was sudden," said Paul Boniface, operations manager at the NCA.
PORSCHE, ROLEXES AND LUXURY HOLIDAYSRather than being used to purchase protective equipment, the money funded an extravagant lifestyle, investigators said.
Labruzzo and another accused have already been convicted in the US in connection with the same fraud scheme.
An Indian-origin couple has been convicted in the United Kingdom for carrying out a multi-million-dollar COVID-era personal protective equipment (PPE) fraud, using the proceeds to fund a lavish lifestyle that included a 126,000 pound Porsche, Rolex watches, luxury holidays and expensive home renovations.
According to news agency PTI, Jogesh Bhandari, 59, and his wife Meenakashi (Meena) Bhandari, 58, were found guilty following a five-week trial at Leicester Crown Court.
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Craig Morris, 43, who represented the couple's company in several fraudulent PPE deals during 2020 and 2021, was also convicted. All three are due to be sentenced on August 21.
A group who fraudulently claimed to be able to provide PPE during the pandemic but instead spent hundreds of thousands of pounds on house renovations and luxury cars have been convicted after a NCA investigation.
Read the full story https://t.co/nGSMEW25CW pic.twitter.com/QWGGrpG5kb— National Crime Agency (NCA) (@NCA_UK) July 15, 2026
HOW THE COVID SCAM UNFOLDED
According to the UK's National Crime Agency (NCA), the trio falsely claimed they could supply millions of boxes of nitrile gloves at a time when hospitals and businesses across the world were scrambling to secure protective equipment during the COVID-19 pandemic.
"The COVID-19 pandemic was a time of uncertainty for the world, and the increased need for PPE equipment was sudden," said Paul Boniface, operations manager at the NCA.
"This gave fraudsters like the Bhandaris and Morris an opportunity to target businesses and line their own pockets. All of this activity occurred at the height of the pandemic where the demand for PPE went through the roof," he said.
Jogesh Bhandari controlled a company set up in 2020 to trade nitrile gloves. Investigators said he worked with Frank Labruzzo, then an assistant attorney general in Louisiana, who provided a fraudulent escrow service that allowed money from buyers to be diverted instead of being held securely until deliveries were completed.
MILLIONS COLLECTED, GLOVES NEVER DELIVERED
According to the NCA, the first fraudulent deal was struck in November 2020 for the supply of 12 million boxes of gloves. Instead of remaining in escrow, the funds were immediately transferred to Bhandari, Labruzzo and other linked companies.
A month later, another $2.7 million was deposited into the account, with nearly $500,000 allegedly used to clear the Bhandaris' personal debts, the agency said.
The NCA further alleged that Bhandari used forged bank statements showing balances of up to $125 million and fake letters of attestation to convince suppliers that he had the financial strength to complete massive PPE transactions.
In early 2021, Bhandari received more than $3.18 million for nitrile gloves that were meant to be delivered to hospitals in the US, reported PTI. The shipment never arrived.
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The agency said his final scheme involved a proposed $1.8 billion PPE contract. A supplier allegedly paid $1.35 million after receiving a fraudulent letter claiming Bhandari had deposited $35 million as security for the first shipment.
PORSCHE, ROLEXES AND LUXURY HOLIDAYS
Rather than being used to purchase protective equipment, the money funded an extravagant lifestyle, investigators said.
According to the BBC, Jogesh Bhandari bought a new Porsche worth £126,000, while the NCA said the couple also spent hundreds of thousands of pounds on Rolex watches, jewellery, luxury holidays and home improvements. The agency added that the money was also used to buy an Audi A5, a Land Rover Discovery and a Volkswagen Golf.
The BBC reported that investigators recovered around 47,000 WhatsApp messages exchanged between Bhandari and Morris. In one message, Morris wrote: "All over the news is all about ppe shortage. Let's clean up!! Milk it fill ya boots."
Bhandari replied: "(Thumbs up) it's about a good teamwork and EVERYONE making money."
In another exchange, Bhandari sent Morris a picture of a Rolls-Royce and wrote: "But if I want one of these then we need to keep going."
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NCA VOWS ACTION AGAINST FRAUDSTERS
The three defendants were arrested in February 2023 following the NCA investigation.
"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," Boniface said.
"Fraud like this diverts essential equipment away from genuine organisations and the effects are far reaching, beyond immediate losses for the legitimate businesses involved. The NCA will continue to target fraudsters like these who cause significant harm to the UK economy," he added.
Labruzzo and another accused have already been convicted in the US in connection with the same fraud scheme.
- Ends
With inputs from PTI
