Gang who comittted 'industrial-scale fraud against the Universal Credit system' by falsely claiming £53m

A gang who falsely claimed more than £53 million in Universal Credit - in what is believed to be the largest benefit fraud case in England and Wales - have been jailed.

The five criminals made thousands of false claims for benefits using real people or hijacked identities, with claims supported by an array of forged documents. When officers raided their homes they found bundles of cash stuffed in shopping bags, a luxury car, and designer goods.

Judge David Aaronberg KC described the fraudulent behaviour of 34-year-old Gyunesh Ali as false representation "on an industrial scale".

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This included activity with fellow Bulgarian citizens Galina Nikolova, 39, Stoyan Stoyanov, 28, Tsvetka Todorova, 53, and Patritsia Paneva, 27. At Wood Green Crown Court in London on Thursday, the group was collectively sentenced to 25 years and five months in prison, following their prior guilty pleas related to charges of fraud and money laundering.

Judge Aaronberg noted the likelihood of their deportation after serving their terms and referenced the significant effort by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) required to prosecute them. He stated: "This is believed to be cumulatively the largest case ever prosecuted for benefit fraud on the DWP. It was a difficult case to unravel and prosecute in a coherent fashion to the court."

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) reported that during property raids, they discovered large amounts of cash stored in shopping bags and suitcases, a luxury car and numerous designer items including watches, jackets, and glasses.

The accused had submitted thousands of fraudulent benefits claims, using