An ex council flat is said to house 500 PEOPLE in a benefit fraud which has cost taxpayers at least 1£Million. Nigerian crooks have used the three-bedroom house to steal family tax credits and child benefits using the names of unsuspecting real people. Corrupt insiders at the Department for Work and Pensions supplied the IDs of genuine claimants whose benefits ended after they got jobs. The gang them made new claims from 25 Brookstone Court in Peckham, South East London, direct debit benefit payments were routed to Nigeria. The con exploited the weakness of Government computer systems which failed to spot the same address. A source said:"We believe it went on for several years and easily involves over 1£Million, or higher." The co-owner of the flat- bought for £67,000 from Southwark Council in 2004 was arrested last week. Akinmayone Aiyeloa was quizzes over allegations of conspiracy to defraud over £20,000. Two DWP employees have also been arrested and dismissed, further arrests are expected. Officials believe similar scams are being run nationwide. Benefit fraud costs the country £5.5billion a year. A source said "This is just one element of a huge swindle, "A weakness has been detected and exploited by foreign gangs, we are talking about many millions being stolen when a simple computer programme could have stopped it. When The Sun called at 24 Brookstone Court, there was no answer.
A neighbour said: About four people live there, but no family.



culled from The Scum (The Sun) February 25 2011