Having Told Barclays Her Business Turnover Was £210k When it Was Just £4 to Blag a £50k Bounce Back Loan from Them and Not Using the Money for the Benefit of That Business a Company Director is Banned for 11 Years

BBL Helpline

It must have felt like Christmas had came early for the Company Director named in this case, as she blagged Barclays out of a £50k BBL with a turnover of just £4 and didn’t spend it on the Business. She is now starting an 11 year ban.

On 22 June 2020, Fatima Karaca (“Mrs Karaca”) caused EAAS Consultancy Ltd (“EAAS”) to make a Bounce Back Loan (“BBL”) application of £50,000 when she knew or ought to have known that EAAS was not entitled to access the scheme.

In that:

  • Mrs Karaca made a wrongful declaration by overstating EAAS’s turnover, as a result EAAS has received BBL funds of £50,000 that it was not entitled to.
  • Mrs Karaca caused EAAS to expend the £50,000 BBL funds for purposes that did not provide economic benefit to EAAS, in breach of the BBL terms and conditions.
  • Under the BBL scheme businesses could apply for a loan of between £2,000 and £50,000 subject to a maximum of up to 25% of turnover.
  • The turnover figure was self-certified by the applicant.
  • The turnover figure required was that for the calendar year 2019 or where a business was established after 1 January 2019 it is their estimated turnover.
  • EAAS was incorporated on 15 December 2017.
  • On 22 June 2020, Mrs Karaca applied for a BBL of £50,000 on behalf of EAAS declaring that its turnover for the calendar year 2019 was £210,000.
  • Financial accounts for year ending 31 December 2019 show that EAAS had a turnover of £4.
  • EAAS received the BBL funds of £50,000 on 22 June 2020.
  • Between 2 July 2020 to 16 December 2020, the £50,000 BBL funds were utilised to make payments that did not provide economic benefit to EAAS.

At liquidation, EAAS had declared liabilities of £50,505 which is in respect of the BBL.