POLICE have arrested a man as part of an anti-fraud investigation into the supply of PPE during the Covid-19 pandemic, which an inquiry previously found saw the UK waste almost £10 billion of taxpayers’ money.
The joint investigation was launched in January 2026 following allegations that a former NHS employee “bypassed official procurement processes to supply the £10.3 million PPE contract to a known associate and company director”, the City of London Police said on Thursday.
The man, in his 60s, was arrested on suspicion of fraud by abuse of position of trust, bribery and money laundering, the force said.
His arrest followed police searches on July 9 by the force’s Domestic Corruption Unit (DCU) at residential properties in Worcester and Leeds, and at business premises in Leeds, according to City of London Police.
The man was interviewed and released on bail until early October 2026 while police carry out further inquiries.
A second man, also in his 60s, also voluntarily attended a police station on Wednesday and was questioned in connection with the investigation, police added.
It is jointly led by the DCU and the National Health Service Counter Fraud Authority (NHSCFA).
Detective Superintendent Jim Halkett, head of the Domestic Corruption Unit in the City of London Police, said: “This action represents a significant development in an investigation that remains in its early stages.
“Our officers are working closely with colleagues from the NHS Counter Fraud Authority as we continue to review information and progress our inquiries.
“This is a complex investigation, and we recognise the public interest surrounding it.
“We are committed to providing updates when it is appropriate and operationally possible to do so.
“However, we would remind everyone that this remains an active investigation.
“It is important that all those involved are afforded a fair and impartial legal process, and we would ask that speculation is avoided while our inquiries continue.”
Earlier this month, Baroness Heather Hallett’s inquiry found “systemic flaws” in the process for buying PPE during the pandemic, which led to “vast” waste, with almost £10 billion of unused PPE written off by national and devolved governments.
She also criticised the controversial “VIP lane”, which prioritised offers of PPE from those with political connections, as a “misguided” and “unfair” process that undermined public confidence in procurement.
But she said there was “no evidence of cronyism or corruption” by ministers or officials when awarding contracts.
