Five members of a criminal gang have pleaded guilty to fraud and money laundering-related offences after falsely claiming over £50 million in Universal Credit. The gang used forged documents and hijacked identities to make thousands of false claims over a four-and-a-half-year period. Investigators discovered cash, luxury items, and 'benefit factories' during raids on their properties in London.
Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Mel Stride MP has said investigators from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will continue to “hunt down and convict those who steal from the taxpayer” after five members of a criminal gang pleaded guilty to fraud and money laundering -related offences this week. The gang falsely claimed more than £50 million in Universal Credit between October 2016 and May 2021.
Over the four-and-a-half-year period, the gang made thousands of false claims for Universal Credit using either real people or hijacked identities. Claims were supported by an array of forged documents including fictitious tenancy agreements, counterfeit payslips and forged letters from landlords, employers, and GPs. If claims were rejected, the fraudsters would keep trying over and over until they were granted. Bundles of cash stuffed in shopping bags and suitcases, a luxury car and designer goods including watches, jackets, and glasses were found during a raid on their properties in London, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said. Investigators even discovered three ‘benefit factories’ in London, the CPS said, claiming to help people get a National Insurance number using ‘claim packs’ containing forged and false documents. But after applicants made their claims, they left them in the hands of the gang who laundered money through a number of different accounts
Criminal Gang Fraud Money Laundering Universal Credit Forged Documents Hijacked Identities Raid Luxury Items Benefit Factories
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