A benefit cheat lied about caring for two children and paying rent to swindle more than £22,000 in Universal Credit. Aqeeb Karim, who had lost his job, took advantage of lax evidential requirements during the Covid-19 pandemic to start a claim. The 25-year-old then kept up with the fraudulent claims for two years and was too embarrassed to share what he had done with his family.
Aqeeb pleaded guilty to a single offence of dishonestly making a false statement to obtain a benefit. Despite being told he had contributed towards public ill-feeling against supposed 'scroungers', he avoided jail at Birmingham Crown Court on f June 20. This leniency resulted primarily from his current employment status and begun repayments towards the falsely claimed sum.
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Prosecutor Emma Richards said: "The defendant was in receipt of Universal Credit for him and two dependent children. He.
