A fraudster has been jailed for helping to scam medical companies out of millions of pounds through bogus personal protective equipment (PPE) deals during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Craig Morris, 43, and Jogesh Bhandari, 60, bought luxury cars, holidays and a new home after pretending they could supply millions of boxes of nitrile gloves in the US and Germany.
They were convicted of two counts of conspiracy to commit fraud by false representation as well as concealing and transferring criminal property at Leicester Crown Court in July.
On Wednesday, Morris received three years and nine months in prison. Jogesh, of Mitchell Drive, Loughborough, Leicestershire, will be sentenced later.
Jogesh told his counsel he was taking a “very extreme painkiller” after having a pacemaker fitted last week and was not able to travel to Northampton, where the sentencing hearing took place.
His wife, former pharmacist Meenakashi Bhandari, 58, also of Mitchell Drive, did attend the sentencing hearing.
She was found guilty of concealing and transferring criminal property. She was given a two-year prison sentence, suspended for two years, 250 hours of unpaid work and 15 days of rehabilitation activity.
Judge William Harbage KC said there was “no medical evidence” to properly explain Jogesh’s absence and said a bench warrant would be issued. He is expected to be sentenced on 16 October.