AN investigation by Thurrock Council’s counter-fraud team has brought in over £50,000 through the Proceeds of Crime Act.
The council team investigated Nafisa Ullah, aged 43, of Berkley Hill, Stanford-le-Hope, over failing to declare she owned several properties in the country in her claim for housing benefits.
Since 2006, Ullah had claimed benefits while saying her circumstances had not changed; that she did not own any property.
She was charged with four offences of fraud relating to dishonestly obtaining housing and council tax benefit totalling over £36,000 and she admitted them at Basildon Crown Court on 20 January this year.
In March at crown court she was sentenced to 20 weeks’ imprisonment suspended for 12 months and 100 hours unpaid work. The judge also ordered confiscation.
Since then the council’s counter fraud team conducted a detailed Proceeds of Crime investigation and, on 24 September, HHJ Jonathan Black made a confiscation order totalling £108,000.
Of this sum, £36,648.87 was to be paid to the council immediately as compensation for the overpaid benefit.
Of the remainder, following the team’s investigation into the defendant’s proven criminal benefit, the council is entitled to 37½ per cent, or £26,746.67 as part of the Home Office’s incentive scheme to investigate other criminal activities or frauds. The rest is held by the government.
Ullah was given six months to repay all amounts or serve two years’ imprisonment.
