COVID FRAUDSTER'S HIGH LIFE OF LUXURY

Crook took 105 private jet flights in one year despite owing taxpayers £72million

- TOM PETTIFOR

A NOTORIOUS fraudster who lived in luxury while owing taxpayers £72million in an unpaid court order has been jailed for 18 months over a Covid loan scam.

Gerald Smith was found guilty of cheating the public by taking out a £50,000 "bounce-back" loan during the pandemic to pay the legal fees of one of his closest associates.

Smith, 69, claimed his firm Arcana Solutions (UK) Ltd had been adversely affected by the pandemic.