Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Birmingham fraudster spent part of Covid loan funds at safari park, restaurants and paying off personal credit card debt
Money from the loans was only supposed to be used for the economic benefit of the business
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Fitness company owner Junaid Dar dishonestly obtained £45,500 in Covid Bounce Back Loans during 2020
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Dar used some of the funds for legitimate purposes, but he also used money for personal spending at retailers, restaurants and leisure attractions
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The 34-year-old was handed a suspended sentence following investigations by the Insolvency Service
A Birmingham fraudster who secured three Covid loans for his company when businesses were only entitled to one used some of the funds for personal spending at restaurants and a safari park.
Junaid Dar, 34, made fraudulent applications to three separate banks for Bounce Back Loans worth a combined total of £45,500 during 2020 for his JDARPT Ltd fitness company.
Dar, of Stratford Road, Birmingham, was sentenced to 20 months in prison, suspended for 18 months, at Wolverhampton Crown Court on Thursday 10 July.
He was also ordered to complete 20 days of rehabilitation activity, 180 hours of unpaid work, and pay costs of £2,400.
David Snasdell, Chief Investigator at the Insolvency Service, said:
Junaid Dar deliberately made false representations to fraudulently receive three Bounce Back Loans when businesses were only entitled to one.
Instead of using this money to support his fitness business through the pandemic as intended, he diverted significant sums for personal spending.
Bounce Back Loans were designed to provide quick and simple financial support to businesses genuinely affected by Covid. The Insolvency Service will not tolerate abuse of the public purse and will continue to pursue fraudsters who exploited schemes designed to help legitimate businesses during a national crisis.
JDAPRT was incorporated in March 2017 with Dar as its sole director. The company’s trading activities were recorded as fitness facilities on Companies House.
Dar’s first fraudulent application was for a £13,000 Bounce Back Loan in May 2020.
In the application, Dar claimed JDAPRT’s turnover was £55,000.
Just two days later, Dar made a second application to a different bank for a Bounce Back Loan of £15,000.
In this application, Dar said his company’s turnover was now £60,000.
Dar’s third and final fraudulent application in September 2020 was for a Bounce Back Loan of £17,500.
This time, Dar falsely claimed his company’s turnover was £70,000. Insolvency Service analysis of the bank account revealed the company’s turnover was closer to £61,000.
Dar used some of the Bounce Back Loan funds for legitimate purposes. However, several transactions were recorded which Insolvency Service investigators found to be for personal use.
Payments were made to Amazon and Argos, along with spending at restaurants and meat stores. Further spending was identified at West Midlands Safari Park and making credit card payments.
JDARPT went into liquidation in July 2021.
Dar was also disqualified as a company director for 11 years from April 2022 for his misconduct at JDARPT.
Further information
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Junaid Dar is of Stratford Road, Birmingham. His date of birth is 21 February 1991
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JDARPT Ltd (company number 10690408)
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