Fraudsters stole £195,000 in government grants by pretending to run businesses, including a Greggs bakery.
Rais Kayani accepted money from false applicants for the Small Business Grant Fund at a number of councils, including St Helens, Thurrock and Rochdale councils. The councils were defrauded out of £35,000, £85,000 and £75,000 respectively, between May 4 and May 9, 2020.
When making the applications to St Helens council, the fraudsters had impersonated high street bakery chain Greggs. A court heard that genuine business rate account numbers were used to support false applications for rate grants which were awarded by the local authority.
