Bounce Back Loan Scheme fraud investigations continue
Rian O’Keeffe is the latest fraudster brought to justice as part of the ongoing investigations into abuse of the Bounce Back Loan scheme.
O’Keeffe applied for and received a £50,000 Bounce Back Loan in July 2020 based on a claim that it would be used within his business called Trainersource. He claimed that his business had been trading since March 2020 and had a turnover of £312,000.
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In reality, Trainersource was a fictitious business that did not exist and seems to only have been an idea O’Keeffe had.
After receiving the loan money, O’Keeffe withdrew £14,000 on the same day, and a further £8,000 just over a month later. More than 150 transfers were made to personal accounts between August and October 2020.
O’Keeffe was declared bankrupt in November 2021, and due to a Bankruptcy Restrictions Undertaking he cannot act as a company director, borrow more than £500 without declaring his restrictions, or work in various posts in the health and education sector for 12 years.
The court sentenced him to 18 months in prison, which has been suspended for two years. O’Keeffe also has a three-month curfew and has 30 days of rehabilitation activity to complete.