A fraudster who scooped thousands in benefits handouts still managed to get a job processing Universal Credit claims.
Chido Vincent, 57, worked for the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) last year, despite being imprisoned in 2014 for 18 months for overstaying his visa and using a forged letter to claim benefits.
Now, he has been dismissed from his role at the DWP in Leeds for reasons understood to be unrelated to his conviction.
When asked how he was able to get a job despite his conviction, he said he did not have to disclose his conviction as it was longer than five years ago.
The Department for Work & PensionsPAVincent told The Sun: “During the recruitment process I was asked everything and I answered honestly.They asked for my passport, right-to-work documents – I gave them everything. They said they needed to do a DBS. I gave them all the information and it came back fine, so I got the job.”
He added: “I did nothing wrong. I did what was asked of me. I was really shocked and surprised. On the DBS it says that if it’s more than five years, there’s no need to declare a conviction.
“What happened to me was 10 years ago so it was considered spent. I presumed there was no issue with me working. Now I have to start from scratch again and it’s disappointing.”
A DWP spokesperson said: “We do not comment on the detail of individual staffing matters.”
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It comes after a benefits fraudster who claimed she was too ill to wash herself has been ordered to cough up over £10,000 of taxpayer cash after being caught pole dancing.
Angela Elizabeth Clare, 45, had raked in £28,000 in benefits for her health issues, which apparently rendered her unable to perform simple tasks by herself.
However, the 45-year-old had been posting videos of herself pole dancing – including clips of her doing the splits and hanging upside down – on social media in order to advertise her classes. She was sentenced to 18 weeks’ imprisonment, suspended for 12 months, as well as a 10-day rehabilitation activity requirement.
At a Proceeds of Crime Act hearing at Cardiff Crown Court on Thursday, the court heard Clare had benefitted from £27,412 in taxpayer cash – but held assets worth £13,176, which she has been told to pay within three months.
Elsewhere, a benefits cheat has confessed to failing to tell the Department for Work and Pensions he was earning thousands of pounds he was ineligible for.
Stewart Gray, 49, who lives in Onchan on the Isle of Man, had been on Income Support – but neglected to tell the DWP about a side gig as a musician, a court heard.
Between May 8 and September 2, 2023, Gray did not declare that he had undertaken any paid work. As a result, he was overpaid £1,908 by the DWP, a sum for which he was not eligible, the Isle of Man Courts of Justice heard.