Scots fraudster conned taxpayers out of more than £30k while hiding inheritance from dad
18.01.2024 - 05:01
/ dailyrecord.co.uk
A Scots woman hid her financial assets from the local authority and benefits agency in order to con taxpayers out of more than £30,000. Marie van den Berg, 57, secreted away an inheritance from the benefits agency and has now pled guilty to two substantial fraud charges at Perth Sheriff Court.
Van den Berg, from Alyth, Perthshire, admitted obtaining £20,341.75 by fraud from the Department of Work and Pensions between 27 September 2018 and 29 September 2021. She admitted obtaining the Employment Support Allowance fraudulently by failing to declare that she had capital in excess of the permitted amount.
She also admitted fraudulently obtaining £10,935.75 in housing benefit from Perth and Kinross Council between 13 May 2019 and 5 December 2021. Solicitor Mike Tavendale, defending, said his client had suffered a number of difficulties in recent years, including caring for her terminally ill husband.
"She has also had to cope with the problematic behaviour of her son, who has been on a long-term deferred sentence at this court. She is a genuine first offender and has pled guilty at the first opportunity," Mr Tavendale told the court.
"I have known Mrs Van Den Berg for the past part of five years and I am aware of the strains that have been put on her, not least from her own physical difficulties. She has had surgeries on two occasions and neither have been particularly successful. In fact, she had another fall just a few weeks ago."
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Mr Tavendale said: "It seems, somewhat perversely, that the reason why some of these arrears had accrued is because she received back money from the DWP. Given there was over £11,000 in back