Baroness Michelle Mone, a Scottish entrepreneur and Conservative peer, is currently under investigation due to her association with PPE Medpro, a company that secured £200 million in UK government contracts during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Admission of Involvement
In December 2023, after years of denying any connection to PPE Medpro, Mone publicly acknowledged her involvement with the company. This admission followed revelations that she and her family benefited from £29 million through offshore trusts linked to PPE Medpro's profits. In a televised interview, Mone stated, "Lying to the press is not a crime," a comment that attracted significant public attention and criticism.
Legal Investigations and Asset Freezes
The UK's National Crime Agency (NCA) has been investigating PPE Medpro for potential fraud related to the supply of personal protective equipment. In January 2024, assets worth approximately £75 million, including properties and bank accounts linked to Mone and her husband, Doug Barrowman, were frozen under a court order. The couple did not contest the freeze and asserted their cooperation with the investigation.The UK government has initiated legal action against PPE Medpro, seeking £122 million plus costs, alleging that the medical gowns supplied by the company did not meet contractual specifications and were unusable by the NHS. Mone and Barrowman have stated their intention to defend against these claims, maintaining that the Department of Health and Social Care was aware of their involvement from the outset.
Ongoing Media Coverage
The controversy surrounding Michelle Mone is the subject of a two-part BBC documentary titled "The Rise and Fall of Michelle Mone," which explores her business ventures and the PPE Medpro scandal. The documentary features interviews and insights into the events that led to the current investigations.
