MICHELLE Mone’s husband says a civil servant demanded cash to get the National Crime Agency to call off its investigation.
Doug Barrowman claimed the official made the suggestion in a meeting to discuss handing back funds from PPE contracts.
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Doug Barrowman claimed an official demanded cash in order to get the National Crime Agency to call off its investigation Credit: BBC 3
Baroness Mone admitted she lied about ￡60m Covid contracts
The businessman, 58, said: “This individual asked me would I pay more for the ‘other matter’ to go away. I was speechless.
“I didn’t quite understand what he meant by that because the only other matter on the table was the NCA investigation.
“I was absolutely gobsmacked, I think it raises very serious questions as to what that official meant, what he was saying.
“I’m clear in my mind what he was saying, he was asking me if I would pay more money for the NCA investigation to be called off.”
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However, Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden said: “I would be very surprised, but I don’t want to prejudge matters that are a matter for the courts.
“I simply don’t recognise that but let’s wait and see.
“There’s a proper process for this to go through.
“We will get to the bottom of exactly what happened.”
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This comes as Barrowman's wife Michelle Mone admitted lying about the huge profits she could rake in from the controversial Covid contract.
Mone, who made her name through the Ultimo lingerie line, also conceded she made an “error” by denying her links to PPE firm Medpro.
She helped the company win contracts worth ￡200million to supply equipment to the NHS.
Mone, 52, repeatedly denied she stood to gain anything.
But she admitted to the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg that “of course” she may get the money as she is a beneficiary of financial trusts belonging to husband Barrowman which hold around ￡60million in profits.
Mone explained: “If one day, God forbid, my husband passes away before me, then I am a beneficiary, as well as his children and my children.”
But she hit back when asked if she had “done wrong” by lying to the Press and thereby the public.
She insisted: “That’s not a crime. Saying to the Press I’m not involved to protect my family, can I just make this clear — it’s not a crime.”
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Mone insists lying to the press is not a crime Credit: PA