Man posed as Greggs worker to fraudulently claim COVID relief funds from a council, stealing £710,000.
Aftab Baig lied about working for Greggs, making grant requests for 32 branches despite having no real connection to the bakery chain. He used the small business grant fund that helped businesses during COVID, ultimately putting the money into his own catering business.
Baig contacted Leeds City Council in May 2020, pretending to be Greggs’ property manager to ask for business rates numbers for branches. He claimed lockdown prevented him from getting them and that he needed them to apply for the COVID fund
The council learned the claims were fake and froze his bank account. Police arrested Baig in Glasgow two months later, and most of the money went back to the council, though over £90,000 remained missing.
Officers found £16,000 cash at his home along with fake bank slips, suggesting he likely planned to unfreeze the money. He was found guilty of three fraud charges after a trial that finished on February 12 at Leeds Crown Court.
Kelly Ward commented after the verdict, stating that Baig exploited the pandemic and stole taxpayer money from the council. She emphasized that stolen money should support services and help small businesses in need, adding that they will try to recover assets from his crimes.