Tomb Raider Composer Peter Connelly Sentenced for Fraudulently Obtaining £50,000 COVID-19 Loan from UK Government

Peter Connelly Sentenced for COVID-19 Loan Fraud

Peter Connelly, renowned as the original composer and sound designer for the famed Tomb Raider series, has begun serving a 16-month prison sentence as of July 17, 2025. His conviction stems from fraudulently acquiring a £50, 000 ($50, 000) loan from the UK government during the pandemic.

Details of the Fraud

The UK government’s Insolvency Service revealed, in a report highlighted by Eurogamer, that Connelly unlawfully secured two loans for his business at a time when regulations limited individual businesses to a single loan. Initially, he received a legitimate loan of £22, 000 (approximately $29, 500) in May 2020, but followed up shortly after with another loan of £37, 500, leading to the investigation.

Misrepresentation of Financial Status

Investigators found that Connelly intentionally inflated his company’s turnover figure. He claimed his business generated £150, 000, while the actual revenue was just over £58, 000. During interviews with the Insolvency Service, he mentioned plans to “re-imagine the music for the Tomb Raider soundtrack, ”labeling it a highly profitable undertaking. While he initially claimed to have sold personal assets to fund this project, he later stated that progress had halted.

Consequences and Industry Implications

Connelly’s company entered liquidation in August 2021, with neither of the loans repaid. He is now obligated to repay the loans in installments throughout the duration of his incarceration and faces a six-year ban from acting as a company director.

“Peter Connelly blatantly disregarded the rules of the Bounce Back Loan Scheme, designed to support small and medium-sized businesses during the pandemic, ”said David Snasdell, chief investigator at the Insolvency Service.“Connelly not only secured two loans when businesses were only allowed one, but deliberately inflated his company’s turnover to receive more money than he was entitled to.”

Industry Context

This incident adds to a troubling trend of financial malpractice in the gaming industry. Connelly joins a list of other notable figures, including Yuji Naka, the co-creator of Sonic, who was convicted for insider trading, highlighting broader issues of ethical conduct within the sector.

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