BUSINESSMAN Max Punni, who built a chain of pharmacies stretching from Bristol to Exeter, has told how million-pound Minehead fraudster Darren MacKenzie had all but ruined his life. Mr Punni said John Ware Pharmacies was left struggling for survival in arguably the toughest financial climate since World War Two.

He said the fraud emerged ‘during our darkest hour’ as the Covid-19 pandemic almost pushed the company over the edge. “We have sustained a financial loss of more than £1 million so one outrageous individual could live a fantasy lifestyle with utter disregard to the consequences,” said Mr Punni.

He had been working to a 20-year plan to create a prosperous business which would allow him to retire and start a family but it had been torn up by the betrayal of his former friend.

Darren MacKenzie, 41, of Fownes Road, Minehead, was jailed for five years and eight months at Taunton Crown Court last week after admitting fraud by abuse of trust over an eight-year period to 2019.

The court heard MacKenzie was treated by Mr Punni as a family friend, but stole more than £1.3million over six years to fund home improvements, luxury holidays, designer goods and stays in five-star hotels in London.

MacKenzie's defence barrister told the court the defendant had previously been of good character but was isolated, lonely and lacking self-esteem, and could not cope with the the responsibility. The spending gave him confidence, and it was hard to understand how the fraud had gone on for so long without being discovered.

Mr Punni said: “The entire trajectory of my life altered. I will never get this back, ever. I have not been able to settle down and start a family of my own and have had to double my efforts and commitment to remaining alive and continuing healthcare provision.

“It is no exaggeration that I have endured personal misery and suffering and continue to do so to this day. My life’s course has changed, stress, anxiety, and melancholy have been my constant companions. Every day I awake at 4am with cold sweat, paralysed with fear.

“Fortunately, my faith and meditation practices mean I am able to cope. I am no superman and feel I had no choice but to strive beyond my previously perceived limits and what I regarded to be humanly possible to protect my family, staff, and several thousand patients we serve.”

Police analysed more than seven years of banking records and discovered MacKenzie had used the company’s money to:

Fund construction work and home renovations costing more than £300,000 which included almost £80,000 on specialist carpentry, £50,000 on a kitchen, and £10,000 on a sound system;

Pay for luxury holidays in destinations such as New York and Las Vegas;

Stay at five-star hotels in London including The Savoy, The Ritz, and The Dorchester;

Fund shopping trips at Harrods and Fortnum and Mason;

Buy dozens of expensive watches, including Rolexs and Tag Heurs;

Purchase designer clothes, luggage, and homeware, including Versace clothes and Louis Vuitton luggage.

Mr Punni said it was ‘a miracle we are still here’, but the pharmacies were now saddled with debt and a lack of trust from suppliers.

He had doubled his working hours to reduce staffing costs and frequently worked 16-hour days, averaging 80-hour weeks and working seven days a week.

Suppliers and contractors had to be revisited to re-establish credibility after they were refusing to deal with the company due to late payment.

Finances were juggled precariously at times to avoid shutting pharmacies and depriving patients of vital healthcare facilities.

“I have cashed in all my personal investments and sold assets to keep the company afloat,” said Mr Punni.

He said Minehead and Porlock were the first pharmacies he had opened, and their closures would have left elderly and vulnerable patients facing hardship and difficulty accessing medical facilities.

“Since May, 2021, we have been the only pharmacy running Covid vaccinations in Minehead,” he said. “Our closure would have meant people being deprived of healthcare.”

MacKenzie was ordered by the court to repay to Mr Punni almost £28,000, all he had left from the fraud and had handed over a house he had bought.

More coverage in this week's West Somerset Free Press