Case Studies
Benefit Fraudster caught via Facebook
- February 2011
An Ashford woman who falsely claimed thousands
of pounds in benefits while enjoying holidays three times a year to
Turkey has been sent to prison for four months.
Hazel Cunningham’s deceit was uncovered as
part of a large investigation by Ashford Borough Council’s Fraud
Investigation Team when she placed photographs of her wedding in
Barbados on Facebook.
Forty-seven-year-old Mrs Cunningham, of
Bloomsbury Way, Kennington, was arrested and pleaded guilty to five
charges of making false statements at Folkestone Magistrates Court
on Tuesday.
She had failed to notify the authorities of
her maternity pay from her employer and she had also claimed that
she was a single mother when she was actually living with Mr Paul
Cunningham. At the same time she was claiming income support,
housing benefit and council tax benefit – amounting to an average
£170 a week.
Councillor Peter Wood, Leader of Ashford
Borough Council, said: “This case is another success for the
council who work tirelessly to ensure that the honest tax payers of
the Ashford borough are not defrauded.
“The message is clear: people who commit
benefit fraud will be caught.”
Mrs Cunningham had also been prosecuted in
2009 for failing to declare that she was working while claiming a
total of £21,000 in incapacity benefit, housing and council tax
benefits.
Now she must repay all the money she falsely
claimed.
Sentencing her to 120 days immediate
imprisonment, Magistrate Mr Miller, said: “You have had previous
convictions, you have lied to the probation officer, you have
denied your guilt until the last minute, and you have also lied in
court.”
This webpage was updated on
2/21/2012