A company associated with Michelle Mone faced backlash after being ordered to repay £122 million due to problematic PPE. The situation worsened when it was revealed that a firm connected to her spouse, Douglas Barrowman, acquired a lavish £10 million home in Florida. The property, located on Fisher Island referred to as “Billionaire Island,” was purchased by Barrowman Group a few months before the High Court ruling against PPE Medpro, a company owned by Mone’s husband, for supplying defective surgical gowns.
Deborah Doyle, who lost her mother in a care home, expressed outrage at the news of the real estate purchase, stating it added insult to injury for those affected by the faulty PPE. The Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice group condemned the acquisition of the luxury home while the public was awaiting the £122 million repayment, demanding Mone’s removal of titles and recognition.
Fisher Island, accessible only by boat or helicopter, is a secluded enclave where celebrities like Julia Roberts and Oprah Winfrey have resided. Mone’s representative clarified that Barrowman’s firm had acquired the property for refurbishment and resale purposes. The Department for Health and Social Care pursued legal action against PPE Medpro for supplying substandard gowns during the pandemic, with Health Secretary Wes Streeting vowing to recover the funds owed to the NHS.
Allegations surfaced that Mone had recommended PPE Medpro to the government’s VIP lane for Covid contracts when the company was established in 2020. Mone, who co-founded Ultimo lingerie, denied any wrongdoing and claimed to be unfairly targeted over the PPE controversy. The consortium expressed willingness to engage in discussions with the government to resolve the matter, criticizing the government’s lack of response to their settlement proposal.