NEWS STORY : Delivery Driver, Amraiz Mahmood, Sentenced for COVID Loan Fraud

STORY

A High Wycombe delivery driver has been sentenced for fraudulently obtaining a £20,250 Bounce Back Loan during the COVID-19 pandemic. Amraiz Mahmood, 41, inflated his turnover by over £65,000 to secure the loan, which he then spent on drugs and gambling.

Mahmood also concealed almost £40,000 in assets from the Official Receiver when he filed for bankruptcy in 2021. He had withdrawn the money in cash for home improvements just weeks before declaring himself bankrupt.

At High Wycombe Magistrates’ Court, Mahmood was sentenced to 10 months in prison, suspended for two years. He is also subject to a 12-month curfew and must wear an electronic tag.

Mark Stephens, Chief Investigator at the Insolvency Service, said: “Bounce Back Loans were designed to support small businesses through the pandemic, not for personal gain. The Insolvency Service will not hesitate to take action against those who abuse the scheme.”

Mahmood’s fraudulent actions have resulted in an eight-year Bankruptcy Restrictions Undertaking, limiting his ability to borrow money. Efforts are underway to recover the misappropriated funds.