The National Crime Agency (NCA) has announced that Jogesh Bhandari, Craig Morris and Meenakashi Bhandari were convicted at Leicester Crown Court on 15 July 2026, following an investigation into a series of fraudulent personal protective equipment (PPE) deals carried out during the coronavirus pandemic. Between 2020 and 2021, Jogesh Bhandari, who owned and controlled a company involved in the scheme, fraudulently obtained millions of US dollars by falsely claiming he could supply PPE. The offending involved the use of forged financial documents and a fraudulent escrow arrangement operated by co-conspirator Frank Labruzzo, who was previously convicted in the US. According to the NCA, the proceeds of the fraud were used to repay personal debts and fund luxury purchases, including vehicles, jewellery, travel and home improvements. Meenakashi Bhandari was convicted of money laundering for handling the criminal proceeds, while Craig Morris was convicted for his role in the fraudulent transactions. The three defendants are due to be sentenced on 21 August 2026.