"A Blackburn tour operator has been jailed for more than two years after fraudulently securing two £50,000 Covid Bounce Back Loans, despite companies only being entitled to one. Raja Imtiaz, 52, of London Road, Blackburn, dishonestly obtained the loans in June and July 2020 on behalf of his company, Al Fayroz Travel & Tourism Limited. Investigations by the Insolvency Service found he had falsely declared on his second application that it was the firm's only request, even though he had already received the first payment."
"At Preston Crown Court (pictured) on 18 September, Imtiaz was sentenced to two years and two months in prison and disqualified as a company director for six-and-a-half years. Imtiaz told investigators he only submitted the second application because he was unsure whether the first loan had been approved. However, evidence showed the first £50,000 had already been paid when he made the second claim."
Raja Imtiaz, a Blackburn tour operator and director of Al Fayroz Travel & Tourism Limited, secured two £50,000 Bounce Back Loans in June and July 2020 despite being eligible for only one. Investigations by the Insolvency Service found he falsely declared on his second application that it was the firm's only request even though the first payment had already been received. At Preston Crown Court on 18 September he was jailed for two years and two months and disqualified from directing a company for six-and-a-half years. The Bounce Back Loan scheme offered up to £50,000 to support small businesses during Covid and has faced extensive fraud investigations.
Read at Business Matters
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