Birmingham mother convicted of benefit fraud
A BIRMINGHAM woman who claimed her landlord coincidentally had the same name as the father of her children has been found guilty of almost £15,000 of benefit fraud.
Jeetinder Sangha, 29, of Powick Road, Erdington, was sentenced to 18 weeks’ in prison, suspended for two years, after pleading guilty at Birmingham Magistrates’ Court.
Sangha, who committed one offence under the Social Security Administration Act, was brought to justice following an investigation by the Birmingham City Council Benefit Counter Fraud Team.
Her deception, which totalled £14,720, was uncovered by Birmingham City Council Investigators when they discovered her claim for Housing Benefit was a sham.
On claims for benefit, Sangha maintained that the landlord of the property was not related to her or her children. However, it was established that the landlord was in fact the father of her children.
Even when she was interviewed by city council investigators, she continued to maintain that her landlord was not the father of her children, but someone who just happened by coincidence to have the same name.
Sangha would not have been entitled to any Housing Benefit had she told the council the truth at the outset of her claim. As part of her sentence she was also ordered to pay prosecution costs of £1,500.
Cllr Randal Brew, Cabinet Member for Finance at Birmingham City Council, said: “It is unfortunate that we have had to prosecute yet another person who has tried to defraud the public person through benefit fraud.
“However it is pleasing that the efforts of the council’s investigators have once again worked hard to uphold the integrity of a system that is designed to help the city’s most vulnerable people.”
