Emmanuel Bay, 68, and Nancy Bay, 67, of Sudbourne Road, Brixton were found guilty on 6 March at Inner London Crown Court after a four-week trial of 21 offences charged under the Theft Act, Fraud Act and Forgery and Counterfeiting Act. The offences took place between 1999 and 2018.
A third co-defendant, Bruno Matudi, 68, of Libra Road, Plaistow was convicted of two Fraud Act offences.
Direct Payments are made to persons with disabilities who require additional support. The payments provided by local authorities allow service users who qualify due to disability or ill health to source their own care.
The fraud came to light when officers from Adult Social Care at Lambeth Council became suspicious when visiting Bay to conduct a regular review of his claim, and referred the matter to the council’s Counter Fraud team.
The offences relate to fraudulent claims for Direct Payments in the name of Emmanuel Bay, who failed to divulge to Lambeth Council that he had recovered from a previous illness and continued to claim support. He also failed to declare the purchase of three properties in Brixton, each of which would have removed his entitlement to support. Nancy Bay also purchased two properties during the period of the claim.
Bay received large payments of Direct Payments that he was not entitled to. He also received payments from the Independent Living Fund and Department for Work and Pensions as a result of his fraudulent claims and failure to declare his recovery.
The total loss to the public purse is estimated at £1million.
Sentencing will take place on 30 March and Lambeth investigators will now progress action under the Proceeds of Crime Act to recover any losses and proceeds of crime from assets held by Mr and Mrs Bay.
