- Joined
- Aug 25, 2021
- Messages
- 7,056
- Reaction score
- 16,412
How 5 Bulgarians pulled off Britain's biggest ever benefits fraud
The five criminals used a combination of fake identities and real customers to make roughly 6,000 fraudulent Universal Credit claims over four-and-a-half years.
A gang of five Bulgarians have pulled off Britain's biggest ever benefits fraud, raking in almost £54million after using thousands of fake ID claims to fuel their luxurious lifestyles.
The crooks, who now face years in jail, used a combination of fake identities and real customers to make roughly 6,000 fraudulent Universal Credit claims during a four-and-a-half year spree, operating from three 'benefits factories' in north London.
The enormous haul of money gained from their 'complex financial web' of claims was laundered through a number of accounts, then withdrawn in cash – with £750,000 in bank notes found stuffed in suitcases at one of their homes.
Investigators who arrested the gang and searched their properties also discovered hundreds of 'claim packs', containing forged and false documents, and more than 900 digital devices.
They used their ill-gotten gains to fund luxury lifestyles, buying designer clothes, watches and even a high-end Audi sports car.
On social media they shamelessly flaunted expensive spa breaks and posted snaps of them holidaying abroad.
When faced with the large amount of incriminating evidence, which included encrypted messages, CCTV footage, forged documents, seized digital devices and bank statements, Galina Nikolova, 38, Stoyan Stoyanov, 27,
Tsvetka Todorova, 52,
Gyunesh Ali, 33,
and Patritsia Paneva, 26,
all entered guilty pleas at Wood Green Crown Court, which were yesterday accepted by the CPS.
...between October 2016 and May 2021, the organised criminal group made about 6,000 fraudulent claims.
They were supported by forged documents including fictitious tenancy agreements, counterfeit payslips and forged letters from landlords, employers and GPs.
If any claims were rejected, the fraudsters would persevere until they were approved.
All five were arrested on the 5th of May 2021, as part of the Met's Operation Volcanic, but Ali fled to Bulgaria following his release under investigation.
He was extradited back to Britain in February last year, and eventually admitted conspiracy to make false representations, possession of articles for use in a fraud and possessing criminal property.
All five will be sentenced at Wood Green Crown Court on the 28th of May.
