BBC's The Apprentice star speaks out on bankruptcy and fraud investigation

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The Apprentice candidate Raj Dhonota has experienced bankruptcy twice in his career which he has recently opened up about in an exclusive interview with Express.co.uk.

The 49-year-old, who lives in Kent with his family, is planning on moving to California to re-launch his career following his most recent bankruptcy.

Longtime fans of The Apprentice will recall Raj was fired during week nine of the first season by Lord Alan Sugar.

As well as reaching the dizzying heights of success, he was declared bankrupt in 2023, following his first bankruptcy in 2001.

The first bankruptcy came four years before his season of The Apprentice where the winner would earn a six-figure salary at Lord Sugar's company.

Raj has addressed his bankruptcies (Image: Anna Gordon Photography)

Addressing the experience of going bankrupt, Raj admitted: "I've been there. I've earned tens of millions and I've lost nearly as much."

He hit the headlines in 2020 after he got into financial difficulty during the Coronavirus pandemic.

Staff wages at Igniva Solutions - one of his companies - went unpaid for a time and founders of startup firms were left out of pocket through their work with another of his companies called Preseed Investments.

It culminated in fraud allegations being made against him, but after an investigation by the Metropolitan Police, the force found no evidence of criminal activity or any wrongdoing.

The Apprentice candidate Raj Dhonota has experienced bankruptcy twice in his career which he has recently opened up about in an exclusive interview with Express.co.uk.

The 49-year-old who lives in Kent is moving to California to re-launch his career following his bankruptcies.

Raj was fired during week nine of the first season of The Apprentice by Lord Alan Sugar.

As well as reaching the dizzying heights of success, he was declared bankrupt in 2023, following his first bankruptcy in 2001.

The first bankruptcy came four years before his season of The Apprentice where the winner would earn a six-figure salary at Lord Sugar's company.

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Lord Alan Sugar has been on every series of The Apprentice (Image: BBC)

Raj said the police investigation cleared his name and he is now looking ahead at moving to America to launch a tech venture after being discharged from bankruptcy at the start of this year.

He shared: “For two decades, I’ve ridden the rollercoaster of entrepreneurship, earning millions and losing millions.

"My path has been through the high-stakes arena of cutting-edge ventures, filled with exhilarating highs and heart-breaking lows.

"After the latest twist in my journey, I’m steering a new course: my final business venture, based on my experiences over the last 20 years."

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He added: “Launching a business in the US has always been a goal of mine and now, it’s finally happening."

Raj said he's been meticulously crafting a venture tailored for the American market over the past year.

He concluded: "This venture will capture all of my attention for the foreseeable future - I’m dedicating the next five years to ensure its success. After that, I’ll be stepping back and heading into retirement!”

For further information about The Apprentice star Raj Dhonota, visit www.raj-dhonota.com.