Five members of an organised gang who claimed almost £54million in Britain's biggest ever benefits fraud case have been convicted.
The three women and two men - all from Bulgaria - used hijacked identities and real people to make around 6,000 fraudulent Universal Credit claims over a four-and-a-half year period.
Gyunesh Ali, 33, Galina Nikolova, 38, Stoyan Stoyanov, 27, Tsvetka Todorova, 52, and Patritsia Paneva, 26 pleaded guilty to fraud and money laundering related offences for their involvement in a multi-million-pound scam on the benefit system.
The investigation located three "benefit factories" in the Wood Green area of north London where repeated false claims for benefits were submitted.
Patritsia Paneva, Stoyan Stoyanov and Tsvetka Todorova pleaded guilty to fraud and money laundering related offences
CPS
The business claimed to help people acquire a National Insurance number and benefits which they were entitled.
However, applicants who used the business had their money laundered around a number bank accounts or withdrawn in cash.
If any claims were rejected, the fraudsters would endure until they were approved.
After being arrested, officers searched their properties and found hundreds of "claim packs" containing forged and false documents alongside more than 900 digital devices.
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Their claims were supported with a variety of forged documents including fictitious tenancy agreements, counterfeit payslips and forged letters from landlords, employers and GPs.
During police searches bundles of cash stuffed in shopping bags and suitcases, a luxury car and designer goods including watches, jackets, and glasses were also discovered.
On May 5, 2021 all five were arrested as part of the Met's Operation Volcanic, however Ali fled to Bulgaria following his release under investigation.
In February last year, he was extradited back to Britain and admitted conspiracy to make false representations, possession of articles for use in a fraud and possessing criminal property.
Galina Nikolova and Gyunesh Ali were arrested before Ali fled to Bulgaria
CPS
Ben Reid, Specialist Prosecutor for the CPS said the case was the "largest benefit fraud prosecution ever brought to the courts in England and Wales",
He said: “For a number of years, these defendants conspired to commit industrial-scale fraud against the Universal Credit system, costing the taxpayer more than £50 million.
“Submitting thousands of false claims, the organised criminals enriched themselves from government funds designed to protect and help the most vulnerable people in our society."
Secretary of State for the Department for Work and Pensions, Mel Stride MP, added: "I am immensely proud of DWP investigators’ work, in collaboration with the Crown Prosecution Service, to take down this organised crime group.
“Building on our success in preventing £18 billion going into the wrong hands in 2022/23, these convictions underline our commitment to protecting taxpayers’ money. It is only right and fair that we bring those stealing from the public purse to justice.”
The gang are all due to be sentenced at Wood Green Crown Court on May 28.
