Glasgow Man Convicted of Defrauding £710,000 from Leeds Council

Aftab Baig, a 47-year-old man from Glasgow, has been convicted of defrauding Leeds City Council of over £710,000 intended for small business support during the COVID-19 pandemic. He submitted fraudulent grant applications for 32 properties, all of which were branches of the bakery chain Greggs, while pretending to be a Group Property Manager from their head office. Baig, who had no actual ties to Greggs, used fraudulent details to secure the funds from the Small Business Grant Fund, which were deposited into his catering business account. Following the discovery of the fraud in May 2020, most of the funds were returned; however, more than £90,000 remains outstanding. An investigation led by the National Investigation Service resulted in Baig's arrest in July 2020, where police discovered £16,000 in cash and forged documents at his home. He was found guilty of three counts of fraud on February 12, 2025, at Leeds Crown Court.