Tudor Dumitru, 35, director of SSC Secure Transport Ltd, pleaded guilty to bribery in securing £189,000 worth of NHS contracts for patient transport services, following an NHS Counter Fraud Authority (NHSCFA) investigation.
SSC Secure Transport is registered in Electric Avenue, Enfield.
He was sentenced to 16 months in prison, suspended for two years, at Wood Green Crown Court yesterday (Monday, October 20).
He was also ordered to complete 150 hours of community service.
It was alleged that, between September 2021 and May 2022, Dumitru made payments of £73,000 to Pratik Patel, a transport manager at University College London Hospital (UCLH), in return for the award of NHS contracts to transport patients on behalf of University College London Hospital.
Charges were authorised against both men under the Bribery Act 2010, but Mr Patel was found dead on May 17, 2025, the day after the case was referred to Wood Green Crown Court.
Ben Harrison, head of operations at the NHS Counter Fraud Authority (NHSCFA), said: “The sentencing of Mr Dumitru sends a clear message that bribery in the NHS will not be tolerated.
“By attempting to corrupt NHS systems for personal gain, he undermined trust in services that patients rely on.
“Today’s outcome should act as a warning to others who may consider similar offences.
“The NHS Counter Fraud Authority will continue to protect NHS resources and ensure that offenders are held to account.”
