Sunak’s Fraud Squad targets Bounce Back Loan abuse

Chancellor's new Fraud Squad aims to claw back the billions lost to fraud through the Bounce Back Loan scheme

Last week, the Government launched ‘The Fraud Squad.’ Sounds a bit like a blockbuster movie…but it’s actually a serious venture led by Chancellor Rishi Sunak. Initially, the primary objective is to investigate the billions the Government lost through fraud that took place during the height of the pandemic. Experts claim that company directors lost, squandered,…

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Government targets Bounce Back Loan abusers

Insolvency practitioners targeting company directors over Bounce Back Loan abuse

Accused of misconduct, misfeasance, or some other wrongdoing? If so, you’d be wise to carefully consider your options moving forward. During the Covid-19 pandemic, UK businesses received billions of Government aid through CBILS, furlough, and Bounce Back Loan schemes. In total, Bounce Back Loan distributions comprised around £40bn. However, the Government’s Insolvency Service has identified…

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Director disqualification for dodgy wine dealer

Wine specialist William Mason receives 10-year director disqualification ban after abusing money investors paid into his company William Mason Fine Wines

Earlier this month, former wine investor William Geoffrey Mason received a 10-year company director disqualification. An Insolvency Service investigation found that Mason, 54, “abused” hundreds of thousands of pounds investors paid his company. Between 2001 and 2019, Mason’s business, William Mason Fine Wines (WMFW), received more than £445,000 in payments from investors. However, investigators concluded…

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Consumers warned over pre-paid energy scams

Consumers warned to avoid discounted pre-pay energy top-ups

Britain’s leading fraud prevention service, Cifas, has warned gas and electricity customers to avoid pre-paid energy scams disguised as discounted offers. The scams have already affected over 188,000 victims, including British Gas, EDF Energy, E.ON, Scottish Power, and SSE customers. It’s no secret the cost of living is increasing at a startling rate. Many UK…

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When digital currency goes wrong Netflix documentary

Gerry Cotten's cryptocurrency company went down owing investors millions of dollars

Netflix’s newest true-crime offering is a cautionary tale about the world of cryptocurrency investments. Trust No One: The Hunt for the Crypto King follows the rise and fall of Gerald Cotten, founder of the QuadrigaCX cryptocurrency exchange. The result is a gripping documentary that attempts to trace the $150million (around £115m) investors lost following Cotton’s…

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End of temporary insolvency measures

Creditors are now free to present a winding-up petition on a debtor company that owes over £750 following the lifting of the government's temporary CIGA 2020 insolvency measures

Last week, the Government withdrew the temporary insolvency measures introduced two years earlier to support businesses during the Covid-19 pandemic. Creditors could obtain winding-up petitions under the temporary legislation (enacted as part of the Corporate Insolvency and Governance Act 2020). However, the debt threshold for winding-up petitions increased to £10,000 and creditors were compelled to:…

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