Benefit fraud

A carer fraudulently claimed thousands of pounds worth of benefits while working at a nursing home.

Lisa Buckley claimed more than £4,000 in housing benefit and Employment and Support Allowance on the basis that she was not fit for work.

But while she was making these claims she was working full-time as a care assistant at Lindley Grange Nursing Home.

The 48-year-old admitted benefit fraud on the day she was due to stand trial at Kirklees Magistrates’ Court.

The Huddersfield court was told that her claims were fraudulent from the outset when she started making them in May 2016.

Andy Wills, prosecuting, said that Buckley applied for ESA on the basis that she was unfit for work and had no other source of income. She provided a medical certificate and was subsequently paid housing benefit, also between May and November of the same year.

Mr Wills said: “This money was paid directly into her bank account on the basis that she must tell the Department for Work and Pensions and Kirklees Council of any changes in her circumstances which may affect her entitlement. It then came to light that she was working for a company, the Bupa care service, as a care assistant at Lindley Grange Care Home. She was working full-time and started there on November 3, 2015.”

Magistrates were told that Buckley, of no fixed address but formally of Moldgreen, was invited to attend several police interviews about her benefit claims. She failed to do so, claiming that she was unavailable due to a training course and then a new rota and was eventually charged with the offences without being interviewed.

Magistrates were told that she was overpaid a total of £4,075 as a result of her deception.

Buckley had denied benefit fraud but on the day of her trial pleaded guilty to two counts of dishonestly making a false statement to obtain a benefit.

She has 35 offences to her name, including shoplifting, producing cannabis and obtaining property by deception.

Sonia Kidd, mitigating, said that her client had suffered following the death of the ex-partner she described as her “best friend” and father of her children.

Mrs Kidd said: “That’s had a devastating effect on her and at the time she simply didn’t know what she was doing from one day to the next. It had massive consequences in relation to her daily living and she fell into significant depression. It was at this time that the claim was made and it has to be accepted that her application was dishonest from the outset.”

Magistrates heard that Buckley lost her job in November as a result of her offending and was evicted from her property due to money owed to her landlord.

She is now in receipt of Universal Credit as a result of these losses, the court was told.

Magistrates sentenced her to a nine month community order with up to 15 days of rehabilitation activities. She will have to pay £100 towards prosecution costs and £85 victim surcharge.

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A conman who convinced a doctor he was a quadriplegic by just sitting in a wheelchair, has been sent to prison for over three years for a £250,000 benefit fraud.

Truro Crown Court was told Brian Matthews, from Penzance, spun a web of lies over more than 20 years that involved impersonating a dead man, lying about being a carer for his autistic children and disabled wife, and pretending to be a quadriplegic; all to fund his gambling addiction.

Matthews had an industrial accident in 1996 that left him with minor injuries, and managed to convince authorities that he was a quadriplegic (suffering from paralysis of both arms and both legs) until he was arrested in 2016.

He forged doctor’s notes and persuaded a Truro GP who didn’t feel it necessary to examine him, instead trusting that he was a quadriplegic because he was in a wheelchair.

Brian Matthews told Truro crown court “I am actually saving the government a lot of money” before judge Robert Linford sentenced him to three years, six and a half months in prison for committing nearly £250,000 in benefit fraud

Judge Robert Linford said at the sentencing: “You are, Mr Matthews, a con man.”

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A benefits cheat failed to declare he had thousands of pounds in savings because he “didn’t want to pay his rent”.

Ronald Eagleson was given a total of more than £12,000 in Housing Benefit and Employment Support over three-and-a-half years, despite having cash secretly stashed in bank accounts.

The 64-year-old was finally investigated by the Department for Works and Pensions but, when asked about his bank statements, he initially denied they were his.

A court was told that, when he was eventually shown an up-to-date Schedule of Capital Assets, Eagleson knew the game was up and finally came clean.

And, when officers asked if the reason he failed to declare his savings was because he wanted to carry on receiving Housing Benefit so his rent would be paid, Eagleson replied: “Probably”.

Now, Eagleson, from Newcastle, has been ordered to do unpaid work after he pleaded guilty to two counts of dishonestly failing to notify a change of circumstances affecting entitlement to social security.

Laura Croft, prosecuting at North Tyneside Magistrates’ Court, said Eagleson failed to declare his savings or that he was getting a pension between August 2013 and January 2017 and so received benefits he was not entitled to.

An investigation was launched and he was subsequently interviewed in March and July 2017.

Miss Croft said: “In March, the defendant said bank statements he was shown didn’t belong to him. He was asked about an offshore account but said it was a debt that he owed someone overseas. He said he closed the account and gave the money to his daughter.

“In the July interview, the defendant was shown an up-to-date Schedule of Capital Assets and he did then make admissions. He was asked if he did it because he wanted his rent to be paid. He replied “Probably”. The defendant didn’t declare that he had savings or that he was getting a pension. He now accepts he lied about the fact he had capital in his account.”

The court was told Eagleson, who has no past convictions, had savings of at least £16,000.

Emma Silburn, mitigating, said Eagleson had worked all his life and had spent a period of time in the Armed Forces.

The solicitor added: “He made full and frank admissions and pleaded guilty at the first available opportunity.”

The court was told arrangements had been made between Eagleson, the Department for Works and Pensions and Newcastle City Council to pay back the £12,724 he had dishonestly claimed.

Magistrates gave him a 12-month community order, with 100 hours of unpaid work, and told him to pay £85 costs and an £85 victim surcharge.

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A social housing fraudster has been found guilty of illegally sub-letting a home in Islington.

Patrick Ofori-Sampong, 50, was found to have two homes, one with Peabody and one with another landlord in Waltham Forest.

He was illegally subletting the Peabody property while living in another he bought under Right to Buy. He was exploiting a sub-tenant who was paying him inflated rent.

He pleaded guilty to one offence under the housing fraud act and one under the prevention of social housing fraud act last month and was given a two year sentence suspended for 18 months, meaning he avoids jail.

Ofori-Sampong must also do 180 hours of unpaid work, pay an unlawful profit order of £5,100 and pay Peabody £45,000 compensation within six months, as well as £4,000 in costs. He surrendered his tenancy, freeing up the property for someone on the 18,000-strong council waiting list.

Last year the council only let 1,172 properties – to 6 per cent of applicants. The Audit Commission has estimated tenancy fraud costs the taxpayer £1.8bn a year and could amount to as many as 160,000 fraudulent tenancies in London.

Andrew Jeffries, Peabody’s tenancy fraud chief said: “We are pleased to have recovered this property so we can provide a decent and much needed home to someone from the Islington Council housing waiting list. Anybody who tries to defraud the public out of social housing can expect to be prosecuted and incur significant costs.”

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Social housing fraud is the most wicked form of welfare fraud. The sums that can be saved are huge, but it's so much more than the money - needy families are being deprived of the chance to have a settled home that meets their needs.

A woman who wrongly received more than £21,000 in benefits after failing to notify the DWP about a change in her living arrangements must carry out 150 hours of unpaid work as punishment.

Donna Baker, 52, from Royal Wootton Bassett, pleaded guilty to not notifying the department of this change in Cricklade between January 24 2014 and May 9 2017 - 170 weeks of Employment and Support Allowance totalling £21,368.24.

The money will be recouped by the Department for Work and Pensions. Baker had received ESA since 2012 as her back pain and MS made her unable to work.

She'd truthfully claimed that she was estranged from her husband, sharing a marital home but living in separate households, but from 2014 the pair lived together.in Cricklade and moved to a mobile home park in 2016.

Philip Hall, defending, explained: "They owed money left right and centre, so they sold their home to pay off their £200,000 debts. They've not been able to move apart and when the house was sold she realised she couldn't manage living on her own."

A member from the probation team said: "They live in separate bedrooms, that's why both their names are on the tenancy agreement, she said she didn't know that this meant she couldn't claim benefits."

Baker must also attend 20 rehab activity days and pay £85 in costs.

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A shamed council housing officer who pretended to be homeless as she scammed her employer has been ordered to repay £20,000. (h/t Tenancy Fraud)

Zara Danyaal used fake IDs to blag her way into three council tenancies - denying homes to those in genuine need.

She carried out the fraud whilst working as a senior housing needs officer for Birmingham City Council .

But Danyaal was rumbled when the council began a probe.

She was later sacked and, in June 2016, jailed for two-and-a-half years at Birmingham Crown Court for one charge relating to social housing fraud and a further six months for two offences relating to job references.

Now Danyaal, 38, from Acocks Green, has been ordered to repay £20,000 in compensation to her former employers under a Proceeds of Crime Act hearing.

Her sister, Samara Malik, 28, also from Acocks Green, was involved in the scam and was jailed for ten months for an offence of social housing fraud,

Robert James, director of housing at Birmingham City Council, said: “We welcome this hearing result which recognises the severity of the crime committed. The act of fraud prevented several families from being housed and since discovering these actions, Birmingham City Council has been proactive from the start in pursuing and bringing the perpetrators to justice. The compensation now received will be reinvested by the council to prevent further acts of fraud from being committed.”

He said the authority was committed to protecting the public funds.

“It is imperative that losses from fraud and corruption are, where possible, eradicated to ensure that resources are used to provide essential services for citizens. Our counter fraud team uses sophisticated data analysis to detect fraud and anyone who commits, or attempts to commit, fraudulent or corrupt acts against the council will be held to account in a decisive manner.”

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A cheating council tenant raked in £31,000 renting her private flat but has been caught out and will have to cough up all the cash or go to jail. (h/t Tenancy Fraud)

Irina Serstena appeared before Peterborough Crown Court on April 13 to hear the outcome of a Proceeds Of Crime Act application.

Serstena, from Peterborough and previously of Loves Way, St Neots, pleaded guilty to two offences under the Fraud Act 2006 by applying for social housing when she already owned a property and was renting it out privately.

Huntingdonshire District Council’s Corporate Fraud Team launched an investigation following information received from housing association BPHA, which was the landlord of her property in Loves Way.

Investigators discovered Serstena bought a flat in Gabriel Court in Peterborough in August 2011 and failed to declare this to the council while applying for social housing.

She continued to bid for social housing and in October 2011, she successfully and illegally bid for a property in Loves Way, St Neots and moved there in November 2011.

But the investigation found Serstena had been renting out the flat she owned in Peterborough for the last six years and receiving the money while she continued to live in the Loves Way property.

Serstena originally appeared at court on December 15, 2017 and, as a result of pleading guilty, was sentenced to a 12-month Community Order concurrent in respect of each offence with a requirement for 150 hours unpaid work.

On April 13, His Honour Judge Lowe made a confiscation order for Serstena to pay £31,184.62 in full within six months or face a one year prison sentence. Costs of £1,200 were also awarded to the council.

Oliver Morley, the council's Corporate Director of Services, said “We work hard to ensure cheats are not going to get away with it in Huntingdonshire. We take housing those that need it very seriously and, as this case shows, we use all powers at our disposal to pursue those that illegally claim help they are not entitled to. We are proud to work closely with partners and this case should show how hard we work to protect public services and money.”

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A council house tenant has been fined for subletting following an investigation by Plymouth anti-fraud detectives.

Dean Kelly admitted subletting his council flat in Clifton Road, Exeter, from 28 September 2014 until August 2016.

The 46-year-old pleaded guilty to the offence at Plymouth Magistrates Court and was fined £325, ordered to pay back the £5,985 he benefited from by subletting the property, a victim surcharge of £32 and £450 costs.

The court heard that at the time of the offence, Kelly was working away in the county where he was staying with his girlfriend.

He decided to sublet his council property to a friend of his mother and arranged for the unlawful sub-tenant to pay £540 a month into his bank account.

This amount was later increased to £590 and then £610 a month.

An investigation, carried out by Plymouth City Council's Fraud Team on behalf of the Devon Tenancy Fraud Group, was started after an anonymous telephone caller alleged that the tenant was not occupying the property but was instead sub-letting it to someone else.

Ken Johnson, Corporate Fraud Team Manager, said: “This case is yet another successful prosecution against a social housing fraudster, in this case one who was making a profit at the expense of those in genuine need. Fraudsters divert money and resources from already pressurised front line council services and should not be tolerated. This and other results should serve notice on offenders that we will not only combat fraud in Plymouth but across the region.”

After the case, an Exeter City Council spokesman said that social housing fraud costs the UK economy £1.8 billion a year.

“At a time when social housing is at a premium, this criminal behaviour is totally unacceptable," he said.

“Exeter City Council has a zero tolerance approach to fraud and will continue to protect the public purse. Fraudulent activity diverts money and resources from those who legitimately have need of council services and contributes to higher council tax bills."

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A man who stole the identity of his dead half-brother to claim almost £100,000 in benefits has been jailed.

Robert Lewis, 61, of New Street, Honiton, had at least three National Insurance numbers in different names.

He claimed disability living allowance, personal independence payments, employment support allowance and housing benefits.

Lewis admitted six counts of fraud and was jailed for two years and eight months at Exeter Crown Court.

The court heard he used the date of birth of his half-brother who had died 13 years earlier.

Lewis was already claiming legitimate benefits when he started the fraudulent claims, the court was told, and had previous convictions under another alias.

The court heard he had 23 previous convictions, mostly for dishonesty, under his original name of Norman Hill.

Prosecuting, Nigel Wraith said Lewis had used four different identities at different times, and had changed his name by deed poll.

Judge Timothy Rose described the claims as a "sustained campaign of dishonesty".

"It is plain these were sophisticated offences which required significant planning and ground work. Additional aggravating features are the lengthy time over which they took place and that they were utterly fraudulent from the outset," he said.

Emmi Wilson, defending, said Lewis "had started to repay the money", which totalled £97,070.

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A man committed benefit fraud when he failed to tell anyone that he was living with his partner.

Raze Ghazi-Ali claimed more than £4,000 in housing benefit that he was not entitled to.

He claimed he didn’t inform Kirklees Council that he was living with the mother of his three children - in case she threw him out.

The 29-year-old had denied a charge of failing to notify a change of circumstances likely to affect his entitlement to a benefit. He then changed his plea to guilty on the day he was due to stand trial at Kirklees Magistrates’ Court.

The fraud happened between June 1, 2015 and October 9, 2016.

Ghazi-Ali began claiming housing benefit in 2014 on the grounds that he was unemployed and had no other source of income.

He was living at Church View House in Paddock and promised to tell the council if his circumstances changed.

Shamaila Qureshi, mitigating, explained to magistrates that information then came to light that he failed to declare that he was maintaining a common household with his partner, with whom he shares three children.

He was overpaid £4,646 in benefits as a result of the fraud which will be repaid directly to the Department for Work and Pensions.

Mrs Qureshi said: “He was interviewed and denied living with his partner. He said she’d lived with him at Church View House, she’d obtained a property and he helped her move in. He denied then moving in with her even though she confirmed this.”

Magistrates were told that Ghazi-Ali, now living with his partner at Town Crescent in Huddersfield, held no previous convictions.

His solicitor Rachel Sharpe explained that he and his partner had lived together in Doncaster.

She said: “When they fell out he was kicked out of the house, she maintained that household with the children and he moved to Huddersfield. She turned up on his doorstep with his children and so he felt compelled to allow her into the property. Then he helped her when she gained her own property.”

Magistrates were told that Ghazi-Ali held onto his Paddock home but he stayed with his partner up to three nights a week.

Mrs Sharpe added: “It’s right to say that there are problems in the relationship which is why he didn’t tell the DWP that he’d moved in. This is because he was fearful that if she kicked him out of the house he would be homeless.”

She told magistrates that her client’s claim was legitimate when he initially moved to Huddersfield.

Magistrates sentenced Ghazi-Ali to a community order with 120 hours of unpaid work. He will have to pay the full trial costs of £620 due to his late guilty plea, and an £85 victim surcharge.

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A mum-of-three who falsely claimed nearly £50,000 in tax credits and income support has been warned she faces jail.

Sarah Hamilton (32) concealed her marriage from the taxman for nine years.

At Falkirk Sheriff Court, procurator fiscal depute Samantha Brown said the offences came to light after a tip off.

She said Hamilton made a claim for child tax credit and working tax credit in her maiden name – Sarah Smith – on August 15,2007, saying she was a single mother-of-one.

In October 2012, she contacted HMRC again, saying her son should be added to her claim, and she was unemployed, still single, and now had responsibility for two children.

The same year, she made a claim to the Department of Work and Pensions for Income Support, this time using her married name of Hamilton, but declaring she was separated.

The depute fiscal said: “Around February 4, 2016, the tax credits award was terminated as a result of information received by HMRC.

“As part of the claim for Income Support, she was interviewed and a review of her circumstances was conducted. She advised that at that stage she was living in a property owned by her former partner and he was responsible for the mortgage but he was not living with her at that address. It was made clear that should that situation change, she should make a declaration.

“The DWP then received an allegation that she was living with her partner and a full investigation was carried out. Her marriage certificate showed that she was married to her partner, Robert Hamilton, on March 3, 2007. A full investigation was carried out and it showed that for a significant period of time when she was receiving the money she was living with him.”

Hamilton, from Grangemouth, pleaded guilty to obtaining £40,000 in child tax credit and working tax credit, together with £8188 income support, to which she was not entitled. The offences were committed between August 15, 2007 and February 4, 2016.

Miss Brown said that, to date, Hamilton had repaid none of the money falsely claimed.

Deferring sentence until May 17 for reports, and continuing bail, Sheriff Craig Caldwell told Hamilton: “You have pled guilty to obtaining almost £50,000 of public funds to which you were not entitled, over a very long period of time, by making false claims and representations.

“That is an extremely serious matter, and the sentencing guidelines for these type of offences indicate that only in exceptional circumstances will a prison sentence be avoided where the sum derived is more than £20,000.

“It seems inevitable that in due course a custodial sentence will be imposed on you, and it will be a lengthy one.”

The court also heard that Hamilton’s house may be forced to be sold to recoup the money, as part of parallel proceedings under the Proceeds of Crime Act.

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A former Dutch police worker has been convicted after fraudulently claiming £16,000 in benefits.

Agustin Ridderstap and his wife Jayne were sentenced at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court after admitting the scam.

Ridderstap, 72, admitted that he failed to tell the Department of Work and Pensions about a change in the Buckhaven couple’s circumstances between 2010 and 2015.

He failed to declare a pension that was being received by his wife and claimed the five-figure sum in Pension Credit.

His wife, Jayne, formerly of Alison Street in Buckhaven, pled guilty to a charge of allowing her husband to claim £6000 to which they were not entitled.

Defence solicitor Megan Davidson told the court her client was a 72-year-old man with no previous convictions who had lived a very “pro-social lifestyle”.

She added that Mr Ridderstap has been employed for most of his life including serving for the Dutch police.

“Mr Ridderstap has taken responsibility for this from an early stage and offered an appropriate plea in the hope that the matter would be resolved quickly.”

Defence solicitor Michelle Renton, appearing for Mrs Ridderstap, added that her client didn’t tell her husband about a pension she had been receiving.

As a result, it was not declared on a form for the Department of Work and Pensions. She added that her 70-year-old client was suffering from rheumatoid arthritis.

The court also heard how the couple had started paying the money back.

The duo narrowly avoided a custodial sentence and were instead handed restriction of liberty orders.

Sentencing, Sheriff James MacDonald said: “You appear before me as a first offender having pled guilty to an offence of benefit fraud involving a substantial sum of money. There can be no doubt that what occurred here was fraudulent.

“I take note of your previous good character and the positive contribution you have made to society during your working life. While I am considering the imposition of custody, I must consider the alternatives. An alternative to custody must in itself amount to a substantial penalty.

“I’m satisfied that a restriction of liberty order would be suitable and would be appropriate. I therefore propose to deal with this matter by a restriction of liberty order over a period of nine months reduced from 12 on account of the resolution which was proposed several months ago.”

Sheriff MacDonald told Ridderstap that he must remain indoors between 8pm and 7am for the first six months. Thereafter, the restriction order will only be in place on Monday to Friday for the remaining three months.

Mrs Ridderstap was also placed on a restriction of liberty order for a period of three months and was told she would be monitored electronically.

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A Suffolk benefit cheat who was overpaid £28,000 after failing to mention he jointly owned a property with his partner has been given a suspended prison sentence.

Stephen Thorne told investigators that he knew he was doing something wrong by not disclosing his interest in the property in Horsey, Norfolk, and said it had been worrying him for some time, Ipswich Crown Court heard.

Thorne, 57, from Preston St Mary, Sudbury, admitted fraud by false representation, dishonestly failing to disclose information and obtaining a money transfer by deception.

He was given a 12 month prison sentence suspended for two years and a 30 day rehabilitation activity order. He was also ordered to do 150 hours unpaid work.

The court heard the offences were committed between February 2003 and May 2012 and related to income support and Jobseeker’s Allowance.

Thorne, who was not legally represented, said he was ashamed of what he’d done and was planning to sell property to repay the money.

A proceeds of crime hearing will take place later in the year.

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A crooked benefits officer who siphoned thousands of pounds of taxpayers’ cash into a secret bank account after creating a fake identity has been jailed.

Aruoriwo Ononeme abused his position to defraud both Sandwell and Walsall councils whilst employed by them as a benefits officer, Wolverhampton Crown Court heard.

The father-of-three, from Tipton, used his knowledge of the system to con his bosses, creating a false NHS medical card in someone else’s name and a University of Wolverhampton letter to back up his fraudulent claims which totalled more than £15,000.

Employed by an agency, Ononeme worked for both local authorities at different times between 2007 – 2011, eventually getting a job directly with Walsall Council as a benefits appeals officer.

At Sandwell Council, the 47-year-old claimed single person council tax exemption of £3,295 in the name of Aziz Mohammed Hussain, supposedly a student at Wolverhampton University.

He forged supporting documents, the letter and medical card, by making amendments to original copies on his computer, the court heard.

At Walsall Council, he set up a tenancy in the name of Ahmed Hussain, a fictitious person, giving the address of a buy-to-let flat in St Michael’s Street, Walsall, which he owned, and claimed more than £12,000 in housing benefit paid into a personal TSB account.

He again created false documents such as pay slips to back up the claim.

Mr Delroy Henry, prosecuting, said: “This defendant acquired a significant amount of knowledge as a finance officer of the way in which the benefits system works and claims are authorised. That was put to unlawful use when he worked for Walsall and Sandwell Councils."

The court heard Ononeme, of previous good character, has since set up the Nissi Homes charity for ex-prisoners, vulnerable adults and recovering addicts in the Black Country.

In his defence, Ms Samantha Powis said he had been motivated to defraud after falling on hard times following several periods of unemployment but had since turned his life around. He and his wife had suffered marital problems and split up but were now back together, the court heard.

"As a result, he became a committed Christian and put his time and knowledge to good use in setting up Nissi Homes. These offences are old and things have changed dramatically since," said Ms Powis.

Ononeme pleaded guilty to two counts of abusing his position in fraudulently claiming housing benefit, two charges of creating false documents, two offences of failing to disclose he was living as a married rather than a single man and one count of falsely claiming he was leaving the UK to live in the United Arab Emirates.

He was sentenced to 30 months in prison.

In a separate case, his wife Olamide Ononeme, 42, of the same address, has pleaded guilty to knowingly being involved in fraudulent activities regarding tax credits.

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A primary school teacher who fraudulently claimed almost £40,000 while failing to notify the authorities her husband was living with her has avoided jail. (h/t Dave)

Olamide Ononeme went on family holidays to Egypt, America and Turkey and built up a bank account balance of £21,500 while carrying out the fraud.

The 42-year-old claimed tax credit payments on the basis she was a single mother of three over three years, despite her husband living at the home in Gough Drive in Tipton.

In total, she claimed £37,859 from November in 2011 to October in 2014.

Wolverhampton Crown Court heard how she was caught out when investigators found a Facebook picture of Olamide and her husband Aruoriwo celebrating their 13th wedding anniversary.

Recorder Anupama Thompson gave mother-of-three Olamide a 12-month prison sentence, suspended for 24 months, and ordered she do 150 hours unpaid work.

Olamide had pleaded guilty to one count of fraud at an earlier hearing.

Her husband, 47, who siphoned thousands of pounds of taxpayers’ money while working as benefits officer for Sandwell and Walsall Council, was jailed for 30 months last month.

Sentencing Olamide, Mrs Thompson said: “You made a claim for tax credit when your husband left in 2011. It seems he returned after and rather than telephoning the authority as you knew you had a duty to do, you continued to claim tax credits. It went on for a period of almost three years.”

Caroline Harris, prosecuting, said Olamide had opportunities to notify the authorities when calling up to alert a change in her income in 2013 and 2014.

She said her bank balance went up from £2,500 in 2012 to £21,500 in 2014.

The family also went on holidays to Egypt, America and Turkey, she said.

Tariq Shakoor, defending, said Olamide, who works at a school in Wolverhampton, was not living a living a lavish lifestyle on the proceeds.

He added: “She let herself down because she is a lady of strong Christian values. She is remorseful.” (Ridiculous)

The Facebook picture which revealed the fraud showed the couple and came with a caption written by Aruoriwo saying ‘To God be the glory for 13 glorious, fruitful and happy years of marriage today’.

The joyous words were entered on his Facebook page for all to see on October 9 2012 - 11 months after Olamide had started claiming tax credit on the basis that she was a single mother.

Years later the post helped to prove his wife pocketed tens of thousands of pounds by lying about the state of their marriage when DWP investigators launched an inquiry on behalf of HMRC following a tip off.

The defendant phoned tax credit officials in December 2013 and December 2014 to discuss changes in her personal circumstances without admitting she and her husband were living together in Gough Drive, Tipton. She also failed to tell the truth when filling in annual declaration forms.

Her husband used the address as his own for financial matters such as a mortgage application on March 20 2014 and Walsall Council confirmed he gave the house in Gough Road as his home while working for them.

To make it worse for the corrupt couple he used his position as a finance officer to defraud both Walsall and Sandwell councils out of more than £15,000.

Aruoriwo was employed by both at different times through an agency between 2007 and 2011, before getting a job as a benefits appeal officer with Walsall Council.

He used his knowledge of the system to create fake characters - one of whom was supposed to be Wolverhampton University student and the other supposedly lived at the buy-to-let flat he owned in St Michael’s Street, Walsall - to make bogus claims in their names for single person council tax exemption and housing benefit.

He pleaded guilty to two counts of abusing his position by fraudulently claiming housing benefit, two charges of creating false documents, two offences of failing to disclose he was living as a married, rather than a single, man and one count of falsely claiming he was leaving the UK to live in the United Arab Emirates.

The Crown Prosecution Service will now decide if they want to pursue the money claimed by Olamide. Why wouldn't they?

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Her husband was jailed for defrauding us of £15k. Presumably unemployment beckons for his wife after her light sentence.

A man who fraudulently claimed more than £11,600 in benefits has been told it is “astonishing” that he does not really regret doing it.

Christopher Barber initially didn’t tell the authorities that his wife had moved in with him, and then when he came clean about that he did not notify them she was working.

When eventually caught, he said he did not disclose the real situation because it would have meant a cut in the amount of money he was receiving.

Swansea Crown Court heard Barber’s initial claims for employment and support allowance were based on him living alone, and being unable to work due to ill health.

However, his wife later moved into the address, and they began maintaining a “common household”.

He did not at first notify the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) about the new arrangements - but when he did, he claimed his wife was not working. In fact she worked as a care assistant.

In total Barber fraudulently claimed some £11,618.59 between November 2014 and June 2017.

Barber, aged 58, from Bonymaen, Swansea, had previously pleaded guilty to two counts of failing to promptly notify the authorities of a change of circumstance when he appeared in the dock for sentencing. He has no previous convictions.

The court heard he had told benefit investigators he did not disclose the changes in circumstances because that would have meant a reduction in the amount of money he was receiving, and he was struggling to get by as it was.

Lee Davies, for Barber, said his client’s benefit claim had initially been legitimate, but he accepted the prosecution case that he had subsequently failed to notify the DWP.

Judge Geraint Walters told the defendant he had “effectively stolen from the state”.

He said the defendant claimed to have difficulty managing his bills and finance but said many tens of thousands of people were experiencing similar problems, and that was not an excuse for what he had done.

The judge said he had read a pre-sentence report into Barber which said he did not seem to particularly regret what he had done.

He said: “It is astonishing that you have the gall to tell a probation officer that you did not particularly regret it. You should. This case is serious enough to justify prison. You helped yourself to benefits to which you were not entitled.”

For each of the two offences Barber was sentenced to six months in prison, the sentence to run concurrently - at the same time - making six months in total, and wholly suspended for 18 months. He was also ordered to complete a rehabilitation course.

Barber has so far repaid £133.20 of the money he owes.

The court heard a Proceeds of Crime Act investigation was currently underway, and judge Walters warned Barber that “if you are found to have any assets, you won’t be keeping them”.

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A Glenrothes woman has pled guilty to fraudulently claiming almost £13,000 in benefits.

Kelly Young appeared at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court where she admitted two charges of stealing tax credits and housing benefit.

The 25-year-old admitted falsely claiming £9194 in tax credits from HMRC after stating she lived alone between March 20 2015 and October 5 2016.

The young mother was, in fact, living with her partner Martyn Stewart, who was in paid employment during the 15 month period.

The court also heard how the fraudster falsely claimed £3772 in housing benefit from Fife Council.

The charge stated she failed to promptly notify the prescribed person in a timely manner to a change in her circumstances which affected her entitlement.

Young spoke only to confirm her guilty plea to Sheriff Pino Di Emidio.

She was ordered to undergo various reports and will be accessed to see if she is suitable for a Restriction of Liberty order.

The first-offender was told to return to court on May 17 when she will be sentenced.

Sheriff Di Emidio said: “I’m going to call for a Criminal Justice Social Work report. As you appear in front of me as a first offender, it would is very important that you cooperate with these reports. Once these reports have been done, I will decided how to deal with this matter.”

Young was originally charged with fraudulently claiming more than £26,000 in both housing and tax credits.

She initially pled not guilty to the two charges at previous hearings.

But she yesterday admitted the amended charges which state that she claimed £12,966 in benefits to which she was not entitled.

The dates in between which she was alleged to have stolen the benefits were also changed.

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A pensioner who admitted receiving over £16,000 in benefits to which he was not entitled is to be sentenced at Mold Crown Court.

Terence Rhodes, 69, from Prestatyn, who appeared at Llandudno magistrates’ court, pleaded guilty to nine charges of obtaining council tax benefit by fraud, having failed to disclose that he was receiving a pension.

The offences occurred between 1999 and 2008. He also admitted one offence of claiming pension credit to which he was not entitled.

Prosecutor Rhian Jackson told the court that North Wales Police were conducting a Proceeds of Crime investigation into Rhodes’ affairs.

Rhodes was bailed to appear in Crown Court on May 24, and the magistrates ordered a pre-sentence report.

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A person claiming their dead parent's pension was one of 500 cases of suspected fraud referred to Rhondda Cynon Taf council in the last financial year.

A total of 565 referrals were made to the authority's corporate fraud team in 2017-2018, of which 244 were made online.

Members of the audit committee were told that council tax and housing benefit fraud are the largest types of fraud that the council is facing.

More than 99% of potential fraud reported to the council is in relation to housing benefit and council tax.

The top referral reason relates to inappropriate receipt of benefits by not declaring that people are living together.

Two specific examples of corporate fraud were given which included one person inappropriately claiming their deceased parent's local government pension. That person was interviewed and cautioned and an agreement was reached to repay the £780 in full.

The other example given was a person fraudulently claiming the 25% single person council tax discount. Discounts of £1,841.22 were removed and attempts are now underway to recover the money.

The Anti-Fraud, Bribery and Corruption Plan 2018-19 states that it "will ensure the council continues to operate within an effective anti-fraud culture across the organisation, with resilient preventive measures capable of identifying and addressing new threats".

Some of the measures taken by the council towards its zero tolerance approach to fraud include the setting up of a hub on both the internet site and council's intranet set for the collation of fraud referrals from all potential sources.

They've also signed up to the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau where good practice and activity is shared and they've developed a draft fraud awareness council payslip awareness insert for inclusion in all May 2018 payslips as well as working with the Department for Work and Pensions in investigating benefit and council tax fraud.

Councillor Michael Powell, Liberal Democrat, said there comes a time when they have to ask themselves when does the council "keep flogging a dead horse" in terms of recovering money. The council's current council tax collection rate is at 97.5% but Cllr Powell said the 2.5% is still a "substantial amount of money."

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More than €100 million in child benefits is claimed fraudulently by European Union migrants in Germany, almost a third of the total it pays to foreign children who do not live there.

An investigation by the Welt Am Sonntag found that organised crime gangs targeted migrants from southeastern Europe and supplied them with fake birth or school certificates for non-existent children.

EU rules require governments to pay benefits at the full rate to children living in countries, such as Romania, where living costs are far lower, creating an incentive for fraudsters.

The payment of the full rate of €192 a month to EU migrants’ children in their home countries is controversial in Germany, but the EU has blocked attempts to cut the payments in line with standards in the countries where the children live.

Karsten Bunk, director of the child benefit fund, told the newspaper: “The reason that this type of crime is so widespread is the full freedom of movement that came with the eastward expansion of the EU.”

In total, 215,499 children not living in Germany received the benefits, paid to a parent, last year at a cost of €343 million. Up to 72,000 of these claims are thought to have been false. The money gained fraudulently is often paid not to the benefit applicants but to criminal gangs.

Katja Suding, deputy leader of the opposition Free Democratic Party, has called on the government to tackle fraud by streamlining 150 family benefits that are paid by different agencies.

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