Couple charged with alleged £1.9m PPE fraud

A Loughborough husband and wife have been charged with fraud and money laundering related to a Covid-era scheme for personal protective equipment (PPE), worth almost £1.9m.

Jogesh and Meenakshi Bhandari appeared at Leicester Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, October 30, denying the charges.

Jogesh Kumar Bhandari, 58, faces two counts of conspiracy to commit fraud and one count of money laundering.

His wife, Meenakshi Bhandari, 56, is charged with one count of money laundering.

The couple have now been charged along with Craig Vincent Morris of Forest Drive, Lytham St Annes, Lancashire, who appeared at Leicester Magistrates’ Court on Monday.

Morris also faces two counts of conspiracy to commit fraud and one count of money laundering.

Investigators believe the three arranged contracts to supply nitrile gloves to companies in the U.S. and Germany, valued at over $35m.

The group is suspected of defrauding these companies of nearly £1.9m..

The National Crime Agency (NCA), which conducted the investigation, said: “Three individuals, including a husband and wife, have been charged in an NCA investigation connected to international PPE fraud.”

All three pleaded not guilty and are scheduled for their next appearance at Leicester Crown Court.