Turkish restaurant owner jailed for ripping off taxpayer cash with dodgy Covid loan
Ilhan Kekec lands 2.5 years in jail
Ilhan Kekec, owner of a Turkish restaurant, has been slapped with a 2.5-year prison sentence for fraudulently claiming a Covid Bounce Back Loan. The Isleworth Crown Court handed down the verdict on March 18, alongside a three-year ban on Kekec from being a company director.
Dishonest scheme exposed
Kekec was found guilty back in December 2023 after a jury trial on charges including fraud by false representation and failing to notify creditors when he dissolved his company. His restaurant, The 123, had barely been open three weeks before lockdown restrictions hit.
Instead of using the government loan to keep his business afloat, Kekec withdrew the funds in cash and admitted to investigators he blew the money on personal debts. He also illegally dissolved his company in June 2020 without telling creditors, breaking company law.
Chief Investigator blasts ‘thoroughly dishonest’ scam
“Ilhan Kekec saw an opportunity in the early weeks of the pandemic to receive a Covid loan which he never intended to repay. His actions were thoroughly dishonest, and at no point did he ever own up to his crimes,” said Julie Barnes, Chief Investigator at the Insolvency Service.
More legal trouble ahead
Alongside the jail time, Kekec received concurrent sentences for multiple counts of fraud and offences under the Companies Act. Confiscation proceedings against him are also set to begin later this year.
This case highlights how seriously the authorities take Covid relief fraud and the need for transparency, especially during crisis times. Kekec’s crooked crookery serves as a warning to others looking to game the system.
