A man has been arrested by police in north London as part of a probe into the procurement of contracts by the company PPE Medpro during Covid.
The 46-year-old suspect, from Barnet, was held at his home on Wednesday morning amid the PPE Medpro investigation, the National Crime Agency said.
“He was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit fraud and of attempting to pervert the course of justice,” said a spokesperson.
“He is currently being interviewed by NCA officers.”
It is carrying out an investigation into suspected criminal offences in the procurement of PPE contracts by PPE Medpro.
Baroness Michelle Mone and her husband Doug Barrowman have faced controversy over the so-called "VIP lane" contracts granted to some suppliers during the coronavirus pandemic.
PPE Medpro, a consortium led by Mr Barrowman, was awarded Government contracts worth more than £200million to supply personal protective equipment after Lady Mone recommended it to ministers.
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has since issued breach of contract proceedings over the 2020 deal on the supply of gowns.
Both Lady Mone and Mr Barrowman deny any wrongdoing.
The couple had initially fiercely denied any involvement with the firm, but later emerged PPE Medpro was owned by a consortium involving Mr Barrowman.
Baroness Mone also belatedly conceded they stood to benefit to the tune of £60million from the PPE deals.
The peer, who was installed in the House of Lords in 2015, admitted in December that she had lied to journalists investigating the Medpro deals, but insisted: “That’s not a crime.”
Baroness Mone has taken a leave of absence from the House of Lords while investigations continue.
