One of five Bulgarian nationals who falsely claimed to have received £50m of Universal Credit filmed himself throwing a pile of £20 notes into the air.
The criminal threw the notes away one by one, waiting for an unidentified woman to pick them up.
Another video also showed piles of cash tied with rubber bands.
The benefits fraud gang made thousands of false claims against Universal Credit using real or hijacked identities, backed by a series of forged documents including forged payslips and forged GP letters – the largest in UK legal history The largest prosecution of its kind.
As part of the investigation, police uncovered three “welfare mills” in London where false benefit claims were repeatedly made.
During the raid, police also found “claim packets” containing forged documents, as well as bundles of cash stuffed in shopping bags and suitcases, a luxury car and designer goods such as watches, jackets and eyeglasses.
Bulgarian Nationals Galina Nikolova, 38, Stoyan Stoyanov, 27, Tsvetka Todorova, 52 , Gyunesh Ali, 33, and Parisia Paneva, 26, have now pleaded guilty to fraud and money laundering-related offences.
Ben Reid, a specialist prosecutor at the CPS, called it a “complex and challenging case” that required “close and effective cooperation between UK authorities, international partners in Bulgaria and EU crime agency Eurojust” “.
Patricia Paneva. Photo: CPS
Stoyan Stoyanov. Image: CPS
Tsvetka Todorova. Image: CPS
“This case is the largest welfare fraud prosecution ever brought before the courts in England and Wales,” he said.
“For many years these defendants conspired to commit an industrial-scale fraud on the Universal Credit system, causing taxpayers to lose more than £50 million.
“Organized criminals submitted thousands of false claims to enrich themselves from government funds designed to protect and help the most vulnerable in our society.”
He said the CPS and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) would now launch confiscation proceedings against the defendants in an attempt to recover the stolen funds.
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Mel Stride MP, secretary of state at the Department for Work and Pensions, said: “I am extremely proud of the work of DWP investigators working in partnership with the Crown Prosecution Service to bring down this organized crime group.
“[These] The convictions underline our commitment to protecting taxpayers’ money and it is right and fair that we bring to justice those who steal public funds.
“My message is simple – if you commit welfare fraud, you are cheating taxpayers and we will catch you.”
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The gang operated for four and a half years, from October 2016 to May 2021 when it was first arrested.
Ali, one of the five defendants, fled to Bulgaria after being released under investigation.
However, in February last year, following a joint effort with the Bulgarian authorities, he was extradited back to the UK so that he could face justice.
All five defendants will appear at Wood Green Crown Court for sentencing in May.
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