UK PM Boris Johnson has been called upon to justify the large amounts of public cash he arranged to give the tech firm Innotech.
Jennifer Arcuri, who set up the tech firm Innotech, was also handed multiple grants by public bodies totalling more than £100,000, including an agency set up by Johnson.
Arcuri describes herself as a “cybersecurity ethical hacker guru” and has had previous digital experience in social media, e-commerce, social commerce, website development and mobile development and marketing.
In January 2013, Arcuri launched the InnoTech Network, a firm running events, networking and startup funding to grow technology clusters worldwide.
According to the Sunday Times, Johnson formed a “close friendship” with Arcuri, who worked on his campaign for Mayor was repeatedly seen visiting her flat in Shoreditch, London.
Johnson failed to declare the potential conflict of interest despite being obliged to by strict City Hall code of conduct rules.
The paper reports that Arcuri was awarded a £100,000 grant earlier this year by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport intended to help British businesses.
The grant is now reportedly the subject of a departmental investigation after the Times discovered that Arcuri’s company’s registered address is a rented house in Cheshire with Arcuri now living in California.
In a statement, Arcuri told the Sunday Times that: “Any grants received by my companies and any trade mission I joined were purely in respect of my role as a legitimate businesswoman…
“I am incredibly disappointed that The Sunday Times cannot write about a successful female entrepreneur without smearing her with innuendo based on leaks from City Hall.”
