Full Breakdown
Covid-Era PPE Fraudsters Sentenced, One Defendant Awaiting Judgment
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Fraud Scheme and Sentences
In July 2024, Leicester Crown Court sentenced Craig Morris, 43, to three years and nine months in prison for conspiring to defraud medical companies with bogus personal protective equipment (PPE) deals. At the same hearing, Meenakshi Bhandari, 58, a former pharmacist and wife of Jogesh Bhandari, received a two-year prison term suspended for two years, together with 250 hours of unpaid work and 15 days of rehabilitation activity. The court also ordered a bench warrant for Jogesh Bhandari, who did not attend the hearing, and his sentencing is scheduled for 16 October 2024.
Background & Context
During the Covid-19 pandemic, global shortages of PPE created a market for legitimate suppliers and, simultaneously, opportunities for fraudsters. Prosecutors described the scheme as exploiting the urgent demand for nitrile gloves in the United States and Germany. The defendants pretended they could deliver millions of glove boxes, securing advance payments that were later diverted for personal use.
Key Figures
- Craig Morris – Lytham St Annes resident, father of two, acted as the on-the-ground operative for the fraud.
- Jogesh Bhandari – Loughborough businessman, identified by the prosecution as the “driving force and instigator” of the scheme.
- Meenakshi Bhandari – Former pharmacist, wife of Jogesh, convicted of concealing and transferring criminal property.
- Judge William Harbage KC – Presiding judge who emphasized the exploitation of pandemic sacrifices.
- Prosecutor Michael Bisgrove – Lead prosecutor who outlined the defendants’ roles and the fraudulent escrow service.
- Frank Labruzzo – U.S. assistant attorney general at the Louisiana State Department of Justice, who provided a fraudulent escrow account used in the scheme; later convicted in the United States.
Timeline
- July 2024 – Craig Morris and Meenakshi Bhandari sentenced at Leicester Crown Court.
- October 16 2024 – Scheduled sentencing of Jogesh Bhandari (court-issued bench warrant already active).
Financial Impact (Data & Statistics)
- The court heard Jogesh Bhandari obtained and retained approximately £1.75 million from the fraudulent scheme.
- Meenakshi Bhandari laundered roughly £960,000, part of which funded luxury purchases including Rolex watches, an Audi A5, a Land Rover Discovery, and a Porsche valued at £126,000.
- Additional proceeds financed a new home, family debt repayments, and other personal expenses.
- Prior to their fallout in late 2021, Morris received regular £5,000 payments from Jogesh Bhandari, according to the National Crime Agency (NCA).
Official Statements & Responses
Prosecutor Bisgrove characterized Jogesh Bhandari as the primary architect of the fraud, with Morris acting “very much” under his direction. The NCA highlighted the cross-border nature of the scheme, noting the involvement of a U.S. assistant attorney general and the use of a fraudulent escrow service. The court’s decision to issue a bench warrant underscored the judiciary’s intolerance for non-appearance without medical justification.
What’s Next
Jogesh Bhandari remains at large; a bench warrant has been issued for his arrest. His sentencing is set for 16 October 2024, where the court will determine the appropriate custodial term based on the established fraud and money-laundering convictions.