Gambling addict pocketed £172k using bogus benefits claims and ‘hijacked’ identities
A gambling addict from Margate defrauded taxpayers of over £170,000 through fake benefit claims and stolen identities, and attempted to steal another £62,000 via a Covid scheme.Summary
Atikur Rahman, 34, a takeaway delivery driver from Margate, was jailed for three years and four months at Canterbury Crown Court for a six-year benefits fraud. Between 2015 and 2021, he submitted fraudulent claims for child tax credits, working tax credits, universal credit, and maternity benefits using fictitious children, false employment records, and the identities of unsuspecting people who had sought his help as an unofficial benefits adviser. He directed payments into 18 bank accounts he controlled. Rahman also attempted to defraud the government's Eat Out to Help Out scheme by registering sham restaurant and takeaway businesses, submitting 20 fraudulent registrations worth an estimated £62,880, but the scam was uncovered before any money was paid out. His gambling addiction led to homelessness and the breakdown of his family. The judge described the fraud as meticulous and sophisticated, and Rahman was also disqualified from being a company director for eight years.
(Source：Kent Online)