British couple arrested over suspected £1.9m PPE fraud by National Crime Agency

A husband and wife have been arrested over a suspected £1.9m worth of PPE fraud.

The pair were arrested by the National Crime Agency (NCA) alongside another man as officers seized highly valuable possessions from two properties in Loughborough and one in Lytham St Annes.

The NCA seized valuables including a car, jewellery, watches, digital devices and said it also found evidence of ‘significant cash purchases’.

As reported by LBC, a man believed to be in his 50s is suspected of setting up a company to run a fraudulent scheme allowing him to profit off Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) shortages during the Covid-19 pandemic. The NCA believes the company brokered agreements to supply nitrile gloves in the US and Germany for more than £28m.

An upfront fee paid to it was placed into a holding account managed by a third party. The holding account said it would only release the funds once the conditions in the PPE contract were met.

It is thought, however, that the couple were able to still use the account and benefit from the money without completing the terms of the sale agreement. The wife of the man is suspected of helping him launder the money he received, and a 39-year-old man who was arrested on Thursday is suspected of aiding them.

It is believed that they may have traded companies of almost £1.9m. All three are now being held in custody for questioning, while they are being investigated.

NCA Branch Commander Mick Pope said: “During the pandemic, both individuals and businesses were impacted by criminal opportunists. The NCA prioritised and tackled a range of serious organised crime threats, including fraud.

“False business agreements that turn out to be fraud, damage the reputation of the UK and hurt our economy.

“We continue to treat this as a priority area and thank Leicestershire Police for their ongoing support. Work is underway with law enforcement partners in the US and Germany to further this investigation.”