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Benefit assessors convicted of housing benefit fraud worth over £1m

Seven benefit assessors working across three London boroughs have been convicted of housing benefit fraud worth over £1m.

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Benefit assessors convicted of housing benefit fraud worth over £1m #ukhousing

The assessors created false housing benefit claims while working at Lambeth, Kingston and Barking and Dagenham councils and sent the funds to accounts they controlled, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said in a statement today.

They would identify appropriate properties, collect details for false claims and create appointments for the fraudsters at the council.

They approved false claims and ensured the council letters were not sent to the properties.


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Money was sent to an account controlled by money launderers who left the country before they could be charged.

One defendant processed claims amounting to over £280,000, the CPS said.

The defendants all denied fraud but were convicted by a jury after a three-month trial at Southwark Crown Court.

Ben Reid, specialist prosecutor at the CPS, said: “The defendants were trusted with public money, but abused the systems to satisfy their own greed.

“Their criminal network was large and complex. The CPS played an integral role in the successful prosecution of this case. We were engaged with the investigation from an early stage and we are thankful that the hard work by all involved has paid off and justice has now been done.”

The defendants will be sentenced on 18 March 2019 at Southwark Crown Court. They were listed by the CPS as:

  • Menelik Cowan, 37, pleaded guilty to one offence of fraud by abuse of position and one offence of possession of false identity documents with intent. He was then convicted of five further offences of fraud by abuse of position after trial. The value of his offending is £286,918.92.
  • Hugh Small, 40, pleaded guilty to one offence of entering into or being concerned in a money laundering arrangement. He was then convicted of one further offence of fraud by abuse of position after trial. The value of his offending is £112,983.
  • Rahel Asfaha, 36, was convicted after trial of eight offences of fraud by abuse of position, worth £181,872.
  • Alex Williams, 39, was convicted after trial of one offence of fraud by abuse of position worth £240,345.
  • Cassandra Johnson, 38, was convicted after trial of three offences of fraud by abuse of position worth £106,834.
  • Jessica Bartley, 35, was convicted after trial of one offence of fraud by abuse of position worth £71,600.
  • Natasha Francis, 38, was convicted after trial of one offence of entering into or being concerned in a money laundering arrangement worth £2,868.
  • Donna Francis, 58, was convicted after trial of one offence of entering into or being concerned in a money laundering arrangement worth £8,323.43.
  • Derrick Williams, 58, was convicted after trial of two offences of entering into or being concerned in a money laundering arrangement worth £14,168.03.
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