Indian-origin woman sentenced to two years jail over Covid business loan fraud in U.K.
Rupali Wagh, an Indian-origin businesswoman in the U.K., has been sentenced to over two years in prison for committing fraud. She illegally obtained government-backed Covid-19 bounce-back loans by inflating her business turnover and misusing the funds for personal debts and investments.
Why it matters
This case highlights the ongoing legal efforts by government agencies to prosecute individuals who exploited pandemic-era financial relief programs.
An Indian-origin woman, who pleaded guilty to fraud over illegally obtaining five loans being offered by the State to support businesses at the height of the Covid pandemic , has been sentenced to over two years jail by a U.K. Court.
Rupali Wagh, 50, applied for a total of 216,250 pounds in Bounce Back Loans for her four companies between May and September 2020 by inflating the turnover of her businesses.
She used some of the funds to buy stocks and shares and paying off personal finance, in clear violation of the terms. She was sentenced to two years and three months imprisonment in Wales on Friday (July 17, 2026). “Rupali Wagh systematically targeted a scheme designed to help genuine businesses survive the pandemic," said David Snasdell, Chief Investigator at the Insolvency Service U.K.
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