A Preston company director has been banned from running businesses for a decade after obtaining a Covid Bounce Back Loan far larger than his company was entitled to receive and failing to show that the money was used for the benefit of the business.
Grzegorz Bernat, of The Howgills, Fulwood, has been disqualified as a director for 10 years from October 7, following an investigation by the Insolvency Service.
Bernat was the sole director of Gregmax Ltd, a company incorporated in June 2018 which later entered liquidation in January 2025.
According to the Insolvency Service, Bernat caused Gregmax to apply for a £50,000 Bounce Back Loan on June 30, 2020, by declaring the firm's turnover as £200,000.
However, investigators found the company's actual turnover for 2019 was £52,788.
Under the government-backed Bounce Back Loan scheme, businesses could borrow up to 25 per cent of their annual turnover, meaning Gregmax would only have been eligible for a loan of £13,198.
The Insolvency Service said the company therefore received "at least £36,802 more than it was entitled to".
A report published by the agency states: "On June 30, 2020, Bernat applied for a BBL of £50,000 on behalf of Gregmax, stating in the loan application that Gregmax's relevant turnover was £200,000."
It added that an analysis of bank statements showed turnover "total relevant credits" of £52,788 during 2019.
The watchdog also found Bernat failed to demonstrate that the loan funds were used for the economic benefit of the business, as required by the scheme's rules.
Its report states: "Between July 6, 2020, and July 12, 2021, at least £50,000 was withdrawn from the account. Those withdrawals included BBL funds."
Investigators said Mr Bernat had "failed to provide evidence to demonstrate that the withdrawn BBL funds were applied for the economic benefit of Gregmax".
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The £50,000 loan was paid into Gregmax's bank account on June 30, 2020, at a time when the account was overdrawn by £4,325.
By the time the company entered liquidation on January 10, 2025, its statement of affairs showed liabilities of £53,397, including £46,161 still owed in relation to the Bounce Back Loan.
The disqualification means Mr Bernat cannot, without court permission, be involved in the promotion, formation or management of a company until October 2036.
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