A MOTHER was jailed at Basildon Crown Court on Monday (11 March) after admitting a series of benefit fraud charges.
Anuoluwapa Oloyede-Samuel, of Aveley, was sentenced to 15 months in prison of which she has to serve at least half.
Her husband, Ololeye Ololeke Oloyede-Samuel, received a one-year sentence suspended for two years and also ordered to undertake 200 hours of unpaid work within 12 months.
Both had previously been convicted for similar benefit fraud offences by Croydon Council where they given suspended jail sentences, but judge Mr Recorder Royall advised these would not be taken into consideration.
In the latest case, Thurrock Council was the prosecutor.
The court was told Mrs Oloyede-Samuel admitted she fraudulently claimed more than £60,000 in Income Support and Housing and Council Tax Benefit in respect of 27 Hanford Road, Aveley, by lying about her true personal and financial circumstances.
She claimed her husband was not living with her, that she had a tenancy agreement with City Real Estates, she had a rental liability of £1,250 per month, neither she nor her husband was in paid employment or owned any property, that neither she nor her husband had any bank accounts except those declared, and that neither she nor her husband had any income except Income Support and Child Benefit.
None of this was true.
Further enquiries into Mr Oloyede-Samuel revealed he did not have leave to remain in the UK, he had a number of undeclared bank accounts – one of which showed he had been working as a security officer.
During the claim period in Thurrock, a total of £244,256.05 had been credited to the undeclared bank accounts.
In November 2009, police and investigators from Thurrock Council attended 27 Hanford Road, Aveley, where the defendants were present. A search was conducted and a number of documents seized.
Following further investigations and interviews, assessors from the Department for Work and Pensions determined Mrs Oloyede-Samuel had no entitlement to Income Support, resulting in an overpayment of £46,165.61 and Thurrock Council assessed that both defendants were overpaid £12,787.49 in Housing Benefit and £1,478.44 in Council Tax Benefit.
In total Mrs Oloyede-Samuel had been overpaid £60,431.54 in benefits; £14,265.93 of which related to Mr Oloyede-Samuel as well.
The couple have four children aged between two and nine. They have lived in Exeter for over a year.