It's Jail for Woolwich man involved in £52,000 fraud: see what he did

Councillor Maureen O’ Mara:
Cabinet Member for Customer
Services and IT. (Credit: RBG)

by Our Correspondent | Woolwich

A Woolwich man has been jailed for 16 months after committing £52,000 worth of benefit fraud, after a successful investigation by the Royal Borough of Greenwich’s anti-fraud team. Abdelilah Mennani, 50, formerly of Archway Court, was sentenced at Woolwich Crown Court on Tuesday 2 June after pleading guilty to 20 offences at an earlier hearing.

The court heard that in April 2000, Mennani using the name Frederico Zilio and claiming to be an Italian national, got the tenancy of a one-bedroom council flat in Middle Park Avenue, Eltham. He also used his false identity to claim Job Seekers’ Allowance, and housing and council tax benefit from the council.

He went to the Jobcentre every two weeks to sign-on. In total he received £26,559 housing benefit, £6,250 in council tax benefit and £19,917 in Job Seekers’ Allowance. In 2013 the Royal Borough of Greenwich discovered that Zilio was really Mennani and that he was subletting his council flat while living with his wife and children at another address at Woolwich Dockyard.

Royal Borough officers went to his Middle Park Avenue address in February last year where he identified himself as Mr Zilio and stated that he lived at the address on his own. Police were waiting outside, and arrested him.

A search discovered documents in the names of both Mennani and Zilio, with both showing the same photo. His true home address in Archway Court was also searched and documents in his false identity of Mr Zilio were seized, together with £1,000 in cash. It was also found that he had £1,100 in a UK bank account held in the name of Mr Zilio, and £6,000 held in a Moroccan bank account held in the name of Mr Mennani.

Using the Proceeds of Crime Act, the council’s financial investigators obtained an order from Woolwich Crown Court to freeze his assets. Mennani agreed to surrender the £1,100 he held in a bank account in the name of Zilio but refused to surrender the £1,000 in cash found at his family home. The cash will now be subject to a forfeiture process. Sentencing Mennani, His Honour Judge Raynor ordered him to pay £8,000 in compensation to the Royal Borough within six months.

Councillor Maureen O’ Mara, the Royal Borough’s Cabinet Member for Customer Services and IT, said: “This was benefit fraud on a massive scale, and Mennani is now paying for it with a custodial sentence. We will not hesitate to prosecute anyone who makes money from depriving a needy person of a home.”

The Royal Borough has now recovered the flat in Middle Park Avenue and given it to a person in genuine need. They are also working alongside the Department of Work and Pensions to press to get back the £52,727 that Mennani claimed fraudulently.

If residents suspect someone is defrauding the Royal Borough they can call 0800 169 6975 or email the team at: fraud@royalgreenwich.gov.uk.

All information will be treated in confidence.