A gang of five Bulgarians, based in north London, has been convicted of the largest benefit fraud in British history, falsely claiming £53.9 million in Universal Credit. The gang used over 6,000 bogus claims to fund a luxury lifestyle, including luxury cars, designer clothes, and expensive watches. This landmark case represents the largest prosecution of its type in English legal history. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) played key roles in bringing down the gang. In response to the conviction, the DWP highlighted its efforts to clamp down on fraud, with £18 billion of taxpayers' cash saved from going into the wrong hands in the fiscal year 2022/23.
Bulgarian fraud gang in north London swindled £54m in benefits before being caught https://t.co/ZHDcfH9v6n
Five Bulgarians have been convicted of benefits fraud on an industrial scale. The submitted 6,000 bogus claims, splurging the money on luxury cars, designer clothes, & expensive watches, based in north London. They used false & fake documents to defraud the taxpayer of £54… https://t.co/mMQqhkeFJI
I’m proud of @DWPgovuk investigators and @CPSUK for taking down this organised crime group who stole millions. In 2022/23 we stopped £18 billion of taxpayers’ cash going into the wrong hands. We are clamping down on fraud and putting fairness at the heart of our welfare system. https://t.co/dY2IvCBbfE
Britain's biggest benefit fraud gang convicted of £50 million Universal Credit plot https://t.co/kuCt8Xeeim
Britain’s biggest benefit fraud gang convicted after stealing £50 MILLION in taxpayers' cash https://t.co/ExeX57s7S7
Watch: Criminal convicted of £50m benefit fraud throws stack of £20 notes in the air https://t.co/fnXKVheeLx
Five members of a benefit fraud gang who falsely claimed £50m in Universal Credit have been brought down in the largest prosecution of its type in English legal history Read more 🔗 https://t.co/g9VgldRgP0
Five members of a benefit fraud gang who falsely claimed £50m in Universal Credit have been brought down in the largest prosecution of its type in English legal history Read more: https://t.co/1VfYjKfq1n https://t.co/LnXMz6RGKS
Bulgarian fraud gang stole £54 million in biggest ever benefits scam that funded luxury lifestyle https://t.co/WfFgXEquiu
Universal Credit: Gang guilty of large £53.9m benefit fraud https://t.co/Yjt1nNzkDH