Fraudster Convicted for Misappropriating Covid Relief Funds Claimed for Greggs Bakeries

Aftab Baig, a resident of Paisley Road West in Glasgow, orchestrated an elaborate scam during the Covid lockdown. Posing as a representative from Greggs head office, he falsely claimed to have connections with the bakery chain in order to submit fraudulent relief grant applications meant for his own catering business.

During the pandemic, Baig reached out to Leeds City Council in May 2020, stating that he could not access necessary details himself due to lockdown restrictions. He requested business rate numbers for 32 branches, pretending to be a property manager, and used these details to make fraudulent grant claims from the small business relief fund.

When the council discovered that his applications were deceitful, his account was promptly frozen, and he was arrested in Glasgow two months later. Subsequent investigations by the National Crime Agency revealed more incriminating evidence, including a cache of cash and forged remittance slips found at his residence, suggesting an attempt to convince the bank to release the frozen funds.

Following his trial at Leeds Crown Court, Baig was convicted on three counts of fraud. Officials from the Crown Prosecution Service condemned his exploitation of the pandemic’s challenging circumstances, emphasizing that misappropriating taxpayer money—funds intended to support vital community services and struggling small businesses—will be met with strict asset recovery measures.