Kieron Minto-St Aimie, 35, of Pound Lane, Willesden, received the disqualification after overstating his company’s turnover to claim the loan.
The former professional footballer, who also played for Oxford United and Barnet, as well as Romford FC and Welling Utd, went on to run a sports academy in Brent after his football career ended.
His company, St Aimie’s Sports Academy Community Interest Company, received the £25k Covid Bounce Back Loan despite being entitled to a much smaller amount.
St Aimie’s Sports Academy was known in the community for providing football coaching and mentoring to children and young people.
Minto-St Aimie opened the academy in Harlesden Road, Brent, as its sole director in 2016.
He applied for the Covid Bounce Back loan in May 2020.
To obtain the £25,000, he overstated the company’s turnover by £60,000, as it should have only been entitled to around £10,000 under the scheme based on its actual turnover.
The company was dissolved in January 2023.
A judge at London’s Royal Courts of Justice disqualified Minto-St Aimie as a company director for eight years on December 6, 2024.
The Insolvency Service has made it clear that it will take action against any misconduct related to the Bounce Back Loan Scheme.
Elizabeth Pigney, chief investigator at the Insolvency Service, said: “Kieron Minto-St Aimie successfully applied for a Covid Bounce Back loan by overstating his company’s turnover.
“His eight-year disqualification should serve as a warning to others that the justice system will not allow business owners to make false declarations to obtain funds that were so crucially needed by other small and medium-sized businesses during the pandemic.”
The organisation encourages anyone who witnesses financial misconduct to file a complaint.
The Bounce Back Loan Scheme was introduced to support businesses struggling due to the Covid pandemic.
However, it was strictly reserved for those who genuinely met the criteria, and any fraudulent claims are subject to investigation and subsequent penalties.