Fraudsters jailed for diverting Covid glove payments to luxury spending
Jogesh Bhandari and Craig Morris defrauded companies seeking personal protective equipment during the Covid pandemic, taking money for glove orders they never fulfilled. The case shows how funds intended for urgent medical supplies were diverted for personal gain, while Bhandari’s wife, Meenakshi, was also involved in handling the proceeds.
The men set up a glove trading company in 2020 and used a fraudulent escrow arrangement with US official Frank Labruzzo to move payments. Bhandari received millions of dollars, including $2.7 million from one deal and more than $3.18 million for gloves for US hospitals; investigators traced spending on debts, home improvements, luxury watches, cars and holidays. Bhandari was sentenced to eight years in prison, while Morris was also jailed and Meenakshi received a suspended sentence.
- PPE buyers paid for gloves that were never delivered.
- Millions were diverted to luxury spending and debt repayments.
- Bhandari received eight years in prison; his wife’s sentence was suspended.
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Originally published by Daily Mail as “‘Show me the money!’: Fraudsters who quoted Jerry Maguire blew Covid PPE millions on cars, homes and holidays”.