A fraudster who posed as a Greggs property manager managed to con Leeds City Council out of more than £710,000 in COVID-19 business relief funds before investigators caught onto his scheme.
Aftab Baig, 47, from Glasgow, pulled off the scam by pretending to work for Greggs’ Head Office. In May 2020, during the height of the pandemic, he contacted Leeds City Council, claiming he needed business rates numbers for 32 Greggs branches in the area. He told officials he couldn’t access the details due to lockdown restrictions and convinced them to hand over the information.
Armed with these details, Baig submitted fraudulent applications for government COVID-19 support funds, diverting the money into a bank account linked to his own catering business.
How He Was Caught
Despite initially slipping through the cracks, Baig’s fraud didn’t go unnoticed for long. Leeds City Council soon spotted irregularities in the claims and took action. By the end of May 2020, officials had frozen the bank account receiving the funds. While most of the money was recovered, around £90,000 was still unaccounted for.
Investigators from the National Investigation Service (NATIS) launched a full probe, leading to Baig’s arrest in July 2020. Police Scotland officers raided his home and discovered £16,000 in cash, along with forged remittance slips that he had planned to use to trick the bank into releasing the frozen funds.
Court Case and Conviction
Baig was found guilty of three counts of fraud at Leeds Crown Court on February 12, 2025. Prosecutors emphasized the seriousness of his crime, pointing out that he stole money intended to support struggling small businesses during one of the toughest economic crises in recent history.
Kelly Ward from the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said that Baig’s crime was a blatant abuse of a system designed to help those in need. She assured the public that authorities are committed to working with investigative agencies like NATIS to bring fraudsters to justice and recover stolen funds.
Leeds City Council Reacts
Leeds City Council expressed shock and disappointment over the scam, calling it a “deeply cynical” exploitation of public funds. Officials thanked investigators for their swift action and reassured residents that they would continue tightening security measures to prevent future fraud attempts.
Lessons from the Scam
This case serves as a stark reminder of the importance of rigorous checks when distributing government funds, especially in times of crisis. While authorities were able to catch Baig and recover most of the stolen money, it highlights how fraudsters can take advantage of emergency support programs if safeguards are not strong enough.
With sentencing yet to be announced, Baig’s case is a warning to others who may try to exploit public funds eventually, the law catches up.
