Shameful sites run by ex-Rangers boss Craig Whyte still up after firm is shut down

Shameful websites operated by Craig Whyte and his dodgy dad are still up and running… despite the company behind them being shut down.

After a Record investigation, the UK’s business watchdog shut down Fortress Restructuring Ltd, whose only director is Whyte’s dad Thomas.

It found the Glasgow firm lied to get a £50,000 “bounce back loan” and made misleading claims on its sleazy sites.

But a simple check on the two sites – fortressrestructuring.com and rescuecapital.co.uk – finds they are still up and running on Google.

And a phone call on Monday to the number on the rescuecapital.co.uk site was answered.

The Insolvency Service (IS) is pondering what action to take after receiving a Conduct Report from an Insolvency Practitioner appointed to investigate Fortress Restructuring Ltd prior to the firm being compulsorily liquidated in February this year.

It could order the banning of Tom, 74, as a director or it could seek a further police probe into any suspected criminality.

The IS could also launch its own criminal proceedings against Whyte if it believes it can prove he acted in a senior management role while a banned director.

The accountant’s initial damning findings showed the £50,000 bounce back loan had been pocketed, with cash spent on personal items, and the firm had lied about its turnover.

Scottish Labour’s shadow public finance minister Paul Sweeney said it was a disgrace that the website is still apparently open for business.

He said: “If this was anyone else I would be astonished but the person we are talking about here seems to have very thick skin and he is incorrigible.

“My first instinct is that the Insolvency Service seems very toothless here as they have shut down the company yet the websites are still up and running.

“Surely these websites should be taken down immediately.

“The fact that an Insolvency Practitioner’s report is still to be considered does give some heart and I would say that it is blindingly obvious that the highest priority should be given to this case.

“I would like to see this case back in the hands of police as soon as possible, as the claiming of £50,000 using lies and deceit would suggest very strongly to me that a crime may have been committed.

“If the Insolvency Service is minded to launch its own proceedings I would urge them to do so as quickly as possible.

“The existence of these websites and the fact the phone is still being answered shows utter contempt for the regulatory authorities.”

The Daily Record revealed the two websites offer immoral services, enabling crooked company bosses to put assets beyond creditors and cheat employees out of redundancy money.

An investigation by Police Scotland was also launched but the beleaguered force claims it could find no evidence of criminality, despite banned director Whyte flagrantly pretending to be his dad as he set up sleazy deals on the phone.

When the Record called the London number on the rescuecapital.co.uk website on Monday evening, we were astonished when it was answered.

The IS confirmed that fresh consideration is being given to Fortress Restructuring Ltd.

It said: “Where a company has entered into a formal insolvency process, the Insolvency Practitioners have a duty to file a report with the Insolvency Service on the conduct of the company’s directors.

“If there is evidence of misconduct and it’s in the public interest, the Insolvency Service may investigate and pursue enforcement measures to tackle misconduct, such as director disqualification.”

The Record’s own investigation last year found Whyte to be impersonating Tom on the phone.