Viren Amin (39), is said to have allegedly used false identities and stolen cheque books to obtain more than £30,000 of fake council tax refunds.
The court heard how Amin dishonestly gained more than £28,000 from Barnet Council and more than £4,000 from Merton Council.
During a seven month long investigation, led by Barnet Council's Corporate Anti-Fraud Team (CAFT), they were able to link Viren Amin to 20 fraudulent transactions in Barnet, as well as seven in Merton.
Amin pleaded guilty to 27 counts of fraud at Harrow Crown Court, and was sentenced to 14 months imprisonment on 19th June 2015.
While sentencing Amin, Mr Recorder JC Rouse QC said, “You cannot suggest this was just a result of a low moment, it was a concerted effort to deceive the taxpayer out of a substantial sum of money. This was a fraud carried out over a long period of time and it required considerable planning. In my judgement this is so serious an offence that only a custodial sentence can be justified.”
Leader of Barnet Council, Councillor Richard Cornelius said, “This was a highly organised deception to pocket a significant sum of taxpayers’ money. This case sends out the very clear message that anyone attempting to cheat the system will be caught and ultimately dealt with by the courts. The thorough investigation carried out by officers is testament to the hard work and skill of the council’s Corporate Anti-Fraud Team.”
