0:00:02 > 0:00:05Think about it - what would you do if you had a bad run of luck?
0:00:05 > 0:00:09The chances are that you'd end up turning to government agencies
0:00:09 > 0:00:10for a bit of help.
0:00:10 > 0:00:13I've actually needed state benefits.
0:00:13 > 0:00:16At that time, if I hadn't have had them, I would have really suffered.
0:00:16 > 0:00:18Benefits should go to people who really are in need
0:00:18 > 0:00:21and who cannot pay their bills.
0:00:21 > 0:00:25Here in the UK, millions of us need to ask for help every year
0:00:25 > 0:00:28in the form of benefits, legal aid and health care.
0:00:28 > 0:00:32But there are some people who are out there to cheat the system
0:00:32 > 0:00:34out of as much as they can.
0:00:34 > 0:00:38If you're taking money from what people what genuinely need it - not good.
0:00:38 > 0:00:40People have stolen a lot of money from the system.
0:00:40 > 0:00:43If they get caught it's a fair cop.
0:00:43 > 0:00:46But those people how are trying to get rich from the public purse
0:00:46 > 0:00:49are now being sniffed out by investigators
0:00:49 > 0:00:51who want to make sure that as much money as possible
0:00:51 > 0:00:54is available to those who need it.
0:00:54 > 0:00:57This is the world of Saints And Scroungers.
0:01:01 > 0:01:04Coming up, the scroungers who try to fiddle the system.
0:01:05 > 0:01:09One man claiming benefits, despite receiving student grants,
0:01:09 > 0:01:12tries to wriggle out of paying his dues.
0:01:12 > 0:01:15Mr Nwadei didn't really want to answer any questions.
0:01:15 > 0:01:17He was quite evasive in his answers when he was challenged.
0:01:17 > 0:01:20And a butcher bites off more than he can chew.
0:01:20 > 0:01:23This was a serious attack on the VAT system
0:01:23 > 0:01:27and that potentially could have defrauded the department
0:01:27 > 0:01:30into millions and millions of pounds.
0:01:30 > 0:01:33And those people who deserve the public's help.
0:01:33 > 0:01:36After 11 years of helping to give a woman her independence back,
0:01:36 > 0:01:40Labrador Reagan makes way for a new dog on the block.
0:01:40 > 0:01:45They clipped Fletcher onto the side of my chair and it felt just right.
0:01:45 > 0:01:48It felt like he'd been there with me forever.
0:01:49 > 0:01:51Good boy!
0:01:53 > 0:01:57Applying for work can be a really daunting process.
0:01:57 > 0:02:01Filling out an application form is just like going back to school
0:02:01 > 0:02:03and even worse is the interview -
0:02:03 > 0:02:05that's like standing in front of the head teacher.
0:02:05 > 0:02:08No wonder some people don't bother with the process at all.
0:02:08 > 0:02:11They try something a bit different.
0:02:13 > 0:02:1740-year-old Chukwuka Nwadei had hit hard times
0:02:17 > 0:02:18because of unemployment.
0:02:18 > 0:02:21He was living in East London in the London Borough of Newham,
0:02:21 > 0:02:25which has a population of nearly 244,000 people
0:02:25 > 0:02:29and like many of them, Nwadei was receiving a little bit of extra help.
0:02:29 > 0:02:34For eight years, he'd claimed over £40,000 worth of housing benefits
0:02:34 > 0:02:35from Newham Council
0:02:35 > 0:02:38and £12,000 of Jobseeker's Allowance
0:02:38 > 0:02:40from the Department for Work and Pensions.
0:02:40 > 0:02:43But all that changed in April 2009
0:02:43 > 0:02:49when the National Fraud Initiative returned Newham Council's latest data matching results.
0:02:49 > 0:02:53The National Fraud Initiative is organised by the Audit Commission
0:02:53 > 0:02:55on behalf of most public sector bodies
0:02:55 > 0:02:58and we basically submit all of our data biannually
0:02:58 > 0:02:59and that data is matched.
0:02:59 > 0:03:03The point of matching the data is to make sure that the records are consistent,
0:03:03 > 0:03:06so that we know that people claiming benefits in our area
0:03:06 > 0:03:07are entitled to those benefits
0:03:07 > 0:03:12and they haven't got issues in other areas that should be declared to us.
0:03:12 > 0:03:16So there's a gigantic database out there, designed to make sure
0:03:16 > 0:03:18we're not fiddling the system.
0:03:18 > 0:03:20Most of our information is held on computer,
0:03:20 > 0:03:25so we have people's names, addresses, dates of birth, national insurance numbers
0:03:25 > 0:03:28and we also have information relating to what their claim is
0:03:28 > 0:03:30or what their benefit is.
0:03:30 > 0:03:34Once all the information from the various departments has been put in the network,
0:03:34 > 0:03:40the database can keep tabs on it and run searches that may highlight suspicious matches.
0:03:40 > 0:03:45The computer system then compares it to other people's information and data
0:03:45 > 0:03:49and then reports show where there are anomalies or issues of concern
0:03:49 > 0:03:51and then they send that information back to us
0:03:51 > 0:03:52so that we can look into it.
0:03:52 > 0:03:54When the data matches come in, we go through them
0:03:54 > 0:03:58and some of them are rated as a better match than others.
0:03:58 > 0:04:01In this particular case, Nwadei was quite a high hit.
0:04:01 > 0:04:06The Fraud Initiative data results linked Nwadei to student grants.
0:04:06 > 0:04:08As far as Newham was concerned, he was unemployed
0:04:08 > 0:04:14and struggling to find work, not a student with the finances to support himself.
0:04:14 > 0:04:17In some circumstances, students can claim housing benefit
0:04:17 > 0:04:20but in Nwadei's circumstances, he was not entitled to housing benefit
0:04:20 > 0:04:22if he was a student.
0:04:23 > 0:04:27Something didn't add up, so the team kick-started an investigation
0:04:27 > 0:04:30and began by going back over Nwadei's benefit applications.
0:04:34 > 0:04:36In relation to Nwadei's claim for benefit,
0:04:36 > 0:04:37over the course of a number of years,
0:04:37 > 0:04:41he's submitted a number of claims for housing benefit and council tax benefit.
0:04:41 > 0:04:44Within those, he actually declared that he was not a student
0:04:44 > 0:04:47and that he had no other income coming in at all,
0:04:47 > 0:04:51other than that he was receiving from the Department of Work and Pensions.
0:04:52 > 0:04:58So if Nwadei was in fact a student, he was blatantly lying on his applications.
0:04:58 > 0:05:01In this claim form, the question is asked, "Are you or your partner a student?"
0:05:01 > 0:05:06"By student we mean anyone who is attending a course of study at an educational establishment."
0:05:06 > 0:05:08He checked the no box.
0:05:08 > 0:05:11The team went through all the application forms
0:05:11 > 0:05:14Nwadei had submitted to Newham over the eight-year claim period
0:05:14 > 0:05:17and he denied being a student on all of them.
0:05:17 > 0:05:22Now Rashid needed to find out whether it was a similar story with Nwadei's Income Support.
0:05:22 > 0:05:23Given the allegation of fraud
0:05:23 > 0:05:26and that he was claiming Jobseeker's Allowance
0:05:26 > 0:05:28from the Department of Work and Pensions,
0:05:28 > 0:05:31we approached them and asked them if they wanted to be involved in the investigation.
0:05:32 > 0:05:35And the Department for Work and Pensions jumped right on board.
0:05:36 > 0:05:40They informed us that Nwadei had claimed for Jobseeker's Allowance
0:05:40 > 0:05:41from August 2003
0:05:41 > 0:05:44and for a number of years had submitted claim forms
0:05:44 > 0:05:46stating that he had no other income
0:05:46 > 0:05:49and that he was actively seeking work for that whole period.
0:05:49 > 0:05:53The DWP had the same picture as Newham Council of Nwadei -
0:05:53 > 0:05:57an unemployed man in need of benefits.
0:05:57 > 0:06:00Nwadei was receiving £70 in housing benefit weekly
0:06:00 > 0:06:02and £60 in Jobseeker's Allowance weekly.
0:06:02 > 0:06:06That meant he was receiving £130 a week in benefits.
0:06:06 > 0:06:09Having been over all the claim histories,
0:06:09 > 0:06:13the Newham fraud investigators decided to speak to the Student Loans Company
0:06:13 > 0:06:16who appeared on the data matching.
0:06:16 > 0:06:20I've got here the Student Loans Company form that we requested from them
0:06:20 > 0:06:24and it shows that in the academic year beginning 2004,
0:06:24 > 0:06:27he was at the University of East London, doing civil engineering.
0:06:27 > 0:06:30It also shows us the grants that he received for that course.
0:06:30 > 0:06:34Civil engineering at the East London University -
0:06:34 > 0:06:40well, that sounds like somebody who is attending a course of study at an educational establishment to me.
0:06:40 > 0:06:43In fact, the Student Loans Company paperwork suggested
0:06:43 > 0:06:45Nwadei only spent a year at the uni
0:06:45 > 0:06:48before dropping out and going elsewhere.
0:06:48 > 0:06:52The following academic year, he moved to London Metropolitan University
0:06:52 > 0:06:53and moved to computing
0:06:53 > 0:06:56and again, there's a breakdown each year
0:06:56 > 0:06:58of how much money he got from them.
0:06:58 > 0:07:02The record suggests that Nwadei had been at the London Met for four years
0:07:02 > 0:07:06but the fraud team needed confirmation from the university.
0:07:06 > 0:07:09They confirmed that he had been attending for several years
0:07:09 > 0:07:13but eventually they'd thrown him off the course because he hadn't paid his tuition fees.
0:07:14 > 0:07:19Thanks to the investigators' ability to access and trawl through
0:07:19 > 0:07:21key information relating to Nwadei,
0:07:21 > 0:07:24they were able to gather enough evidence to bring him in
0:07:24 > 0:07:27to answer some rather awkward questions.
0:07:30 > 0:07:33The first interview under caution was on 19th August 2009
0:07:33 > 0:07:37and that was based on the information we received from the Student Loans Company.
0:07:37 > 0:07:39INVESTIGATOR SPEAKING
0:07:42 > 0:07:46NWADEI SPEAKING
0:08:15 > 0:08:17Yes, Nwadei was staying tight-lipped.
0:08:17 > 0:08:20Investigators also challenged Nwadei about his various benefit forms.
0:08:20 > 0:08:22All the declaration sections,
0:08:22 > 0:08:26which accept responsibility for providing correct information,
0:08:26 > 0:08:28had been signed.
0:09:00 > 0:09:03Nwadei wasn't prepared to play the game.
0:09:03 > 0:09:07He wanted to know what evidence the investigators had on him
0:09:07 > 0:09:09and they were willing to share it.
0:09:52 > 0:09:55It was Nwadei's right to cancel the interview
0:09:55 > 0:09:57but the evidence was still suggesting he'd failed to tell the truth
0:09:57 > 0:10:00on his benefit forms.
0:10:00 > 0:10:05Later on, we'll find out the scale of this potential crime.
0:10:05 > 0:10:08There could be a huge overpayment as a result of this.
0:10:12 > 0:10:15For now, though, it's time to say farewell to the scroungers
0:10:15 > 0:10:17that are pinching from the public pot
0:10:17 > 0:10:19and say hello to those we call saints,
0:10:19 > 0:10:22who do all they can to make sure others in need of support
0:10:22 > 0:10:26and struggling to manage their lives get all the help they need.
0:10:29 > 0:10:30This is my dog, Ozzie,
0:10:30 > 0:10:32and although I love him, he is completely useless.
0:10:32 > 0:10:35He only does a few things.
0:10:35 > 0:10:37Ozzie! Ozzie!
0:10:37 > 0:10:39Come here. Come here.
0:10:39 > 0:10:41Come here. Sit.
0:10:43 > 0:10:44He is a family pet
0:10:44 > 0:10:49but there are some dogs who provide real independence for people.
0:10:49 > 0:10:51They do everything from fetching and carrying
0:10:51 > 0:10:54to checking if they're still breathing.
0:10:54 > 0:10:58The good news is, he's not one of them.
0:10:59 > 0:11:01Come on, Oz.
0:11:04 > 0:11:0642-year-old Christine Mildenhall lives
0:11:06 > 0:11:08with her 82-year-old mother Joyce.
0:11:08 > 0:11:10She was born with cerebral palsy
0:11:10 > 0:11:14and experienced both mobility and learning difficulties growing up.
0:11:15 > 0:11:17But as a teenager, she was active and independent.
0:11:17 > 0:11:21Her great passion was horses and she had a job at a local riding school.
0:11:21 > 0:11:25I could ride. I was leading horses round.
0:11:25 > 0:11:29I could do dressage.
0:11:29 > 0:11:34Slowly, year by year, a bit more of my condition came out
0:11:34 > 0:11:39until I was in pain every day, so I ended up in the wheelchair.
0:11:40 > 0:11:44As Christine grew older she began to suffer from a disorder called dystonia,
0:11:44 > 0:11:46which is linked to cerebral palsy
0:11:46 > 0:11:49and which causes her severe cramping and spasms.
0:11:49 > 0:11:51On top of this she also developed brittle asthma
0:11:51 > 0:11:54and started having chronic attacks.
0:11:54 > 0:11:58Christine was in and out of hospital and became reliant on benefits.
0:11:58 > 0:12:01She received severe disablement allowance
0:12:01 > 0:12:04and disability living allowance, as well as income support.
0:12:04 > 0:12:08I've come to find out how Christine coped during these tough times.
0:12:09 > 0:12:13Presumably, your mum's been there for you throughout your life.
0:12:13 > 0:12:16I couldn't even go up the road on my own without my mum.
0:12:16 > 0:12:18I couldn't even go to the shops.
0:12:18 > 0:12:21If I dropped anything at home,
0:12:21 > 0:12:25I had to wait until my mum came indoors to pick things up.
0:12:25 > 0:12:30At night, my mum even had to have a baby monitor in my bedroom
0:12:30 > 0:12:34and in her bedroom so that she knew that I was all right
0:12:34 > 0:12:36and not ill in the night.
0:12:36 > 0:12:40But as Joyce was getting older and suffering ill health herself,
0:12:40 > 0:12:43she was finding it harder to look after Christine.
0:12:43 > 0:12:47With my condition, I could go unconscious very easily
0:12:47 > 0:12:50because I lose oxygen if I'm spasming.
0:12:50 > 0:12:53If I was to lie down in bed when I'm spasming, I can't get myself up
0:12:53 > 0:12:55and I start choking.
0:12:55 > 0:12:59For Christine and Joyce, the monitor was a temporary solution
0:12:59 > 0:13:02so they could sleep in separate rooms and have some space
0:13:02 > 0:13:05but it was far from perfect.
0:13:05 > 0:13:07My mum didn't have a good night's sleep.
0:13:07 > 0:13:09She sort of slept and woke up to listen,
0:13:09 > 0:13:12then slept and woke up all through the night.
0:13:12 > 0:13:16Living in each other's pockets and a lack of sleep
0:13:16 > 0:13:19was taking its toll on the mother and daughter relationship.
0:13:19 > 0:13:22We both got on each other's nerves.
0:13:22 > 0:13:26With my age, people don't have their mothers go round shops with them
0:13:26 > 0:13:30and I couldn't go out on my own.
0:13:30 > 0:13:33I couldn't go into shops on my own in case I spasmed.
0:13:33 > 0:13:37So you haven't got your independence. You're nothing, really.
0:13:37 > 0:13:41You're just someone in a wheelchair.
0:13:41 > 0:13:42Let's go.
0:13:42 > 0:13:44Christine needed some independence
0:13:44 > 0:13:46and a local cerebral palsy organisation
0:13:46 > 0:13:50recommended she get in touch with a charity called Canine Partners.
0:13:50 > 0:13:53I've come along to a centre near Christine's home
0:13:53 > 0:13:56to find out what their dogs can offer someone with cerebral palsy.
0:13:56 > 0:13:59- He's so calm!- Yeah, he is.
0:13:59 > 0:14:04- Shall we take him through his paces? - Yeah, he'd love to show you what he can do.- Brilliant.
0:14:04 > 0:14:07We're just going to ask him to empty the washing machine for us.
0:14:07 > 0:14:10Do the washing. Good boy.
0:14:10 > 0:14:12Good boy. Get it. Good boy. Get it. Bring it here!
0:14:12 > 0:14:14Put it in.
0:14:14 > 0:14:17- Yes! Good boy!- Wow! - Can you shut it? Shut it.
0:14:20 > 0:14:23He's doing all the tasks himself - opening it with his nose
0:14:23 > 0:14:26and then shutting it so it's not blocking wheelchair access.
0:14:26 > 0:14:29Then he can help drag the laundry basket outside,
0:14:29 > 0:14:31limiting the bending over a partner might be doing.
0:14:31 > 0:14:34Because there's no point in learning one part of the process.
0:14:34 > 0:14:37He has to be able to do all of it if he's going to be really useful.
0:14:37 > 0:14:38- Yeah.- OK. So what else?
0:14:38 > 0:14:42Let's go and do some shopping. Let's go. Good boy.
0:14:42 > 0:14:43Tin. Get it.
0:14:43 > 0:14:45Yes, good boy. Get it. Bring it here.
0:14:46 > 0:14:49Get it. Good boy. Bring it here. Thank you. Good boy.
0:14:49 > 0:14:52- How could you tell him to pick up other things?- To be specific?
0:14:52 > 0:14:55When he's going towards the right item - "Yes, yes, yes."
0:14:55 > 0:14:57If it's something I don't want - "Uh, uh."
0:14:57 > 0:15:01People get into routines and the dogs will learn after a certain time
0:15:01 > 0:15:05that if we always go to this shelf and you ask me to pick up that packet,
0:15:05 > 0:15:07that's what you're likely to ask and they'll get into the habit.
0:15:07 > 0:15:09- They know our shopping list. - Brilliant.
0:15:09 > 0:15:12- That's the washing done and the shopping done.- Yeah.
0:15:12 > 0:15:14- What's left to do? - We can get him to pay for it.
0:15:14 > 0:15:16- I'll be the cashier, shall I? - Yeah. Good boy.
0:15:16 > 0:15:19So he's just going to hand over the tin for you first.
0:15:19 > 0:15:20OK, tin, take it.
0:15:20 > 0:15:24So these clever canines are trained to become a lifeline
0:15:24 > 0:15:26to their disabled partners,
0:15:26 > 0:15:29giving them an independence which is often lacking.
0:15:29 > 0:15:33And over ten years ago, when Christine was at her very lowest ebb,
0:15:33 > 0:15:35she applied to the charity for a canine partner.
0:15:35 > 0:15:38She was invited to the centre
0:15:38 > 0:15:42and introduced to someone very special.
0:15:42 > 0:15:45When I first met Reagan I was a little bit nervous
0:15:45 > 0:15:48because I'd never been round big dogs before.
0:15:48 > 0:15:50Good man! Shall we go for a walk?
0:15:50 > 0:15:52'I didn't know what he was going to be like.'
0:15:52 > 0:15:54There's a good boy.
0:15:54 > 0:16:00But then about the second time I went training, I was falling in love with him
0:16:00 > 0:16:04and the big brown eyes of his looking up at me
0:16:04 > 0:16:06and I thought, "Yeah, he's the one."
0:16:06 > 0:16:07There's a good boy. Behind.
0:16:08 > 0:16:10Good boy!
0:16:11 > 0:16:14After two weeks of training, Christine took Reagan home
0:16:14 > 0:16:19and her disability benefits and income support helped to pay for his upkeep.
0:16:19 > 0:16:23Reagan had been trained to get help if Christine became ill.
0:16:23 > 0:16:26It meant she could do everyday things without her mum,
0:16:26 > 0:16:28like shopping, posting a letter or going to church
0:16:28 > 0:16:31and it wasn't just Christine who loved having Reagan around.
0:16:31 > 0:16:36It's given my mum freedom. She can go out when she wants.
0:16:36 > 0:16:40And having Reagan in the house had a positive impact on their home life,
0:16:40 > 0:16:43particularly the sleepless nights.
0:16:43 > 0:16:47If I'm not well now, Reagan goes into my mum's bedroom,
0:16:47 > 0:16:52nudges her bed and comes out and keeps on going there,
0:16:52 > 0:16:54so my mum knows there's something wrong.
0:16:54 > 0:16:57So it's given my mum a bit more sleep
0:16:57 > 0:17:00so she doesn't have to listen out all night,
0:17:00 > 0:17:03so she knows I'm safe.
0:17:03 > 0:17:06Reagan was making a dramatic difference
0:17:06 > 0:17:09and even Christine's health was improving.
0:17:09 > 0:17:11I was in and out of hospital
0:17:11 > 0:17:14but now I haven't been in hospital for ten years.
0:17:14 > 0:17:18Even the doctor said having the dog has given me fresh air,
0:17:18 > 0:17:20which helps with breathing.
0:17:20 > 0:17:23I can go to the park and meet other dog-owners
0:17:23 > 0:17:27and Reagan can have a play with other dogs.
0:17:27 > 0:17:30And it's sort of like I'm part of the community now.
0:17:30 > 0:17:32I'm a person now.
0:17:34 > 0:17:39But after a decade of companionship, it was time for Reagan to retire.
0:17:41 > 0:17:45The reason the dogs have to retire is from a welfare point of view.
0:17:45 > 0:17:48Dogs, naturally, as they start to age, their health will change,
0:17:48 > 0:17:52joints will get a bit more achy, they'll want to sleep more
0:17:52 > 0:17:54and they will naturally want to slow down.
0:17:54 > 0:17:58So it's from their point of view that we start to look ahead
0:17:58 > 0:17:59and think about another dog coming in.
0:17:59 > 0:18:02He's getting an old boy now and he's got arthritis.
0:18:02 > 0:18:06He's coming up for eleven and it's quite upsetting.
0:18:06 > 0:18:10Reagan's made such a huge difference to Christine's life
0:18:10 > 0:18:11and he's a proper friend.
0:18:11 > 0:18:13If you've ever had a dog, you'd understand.
0:18:14 > 0:18:18- Obviously, Reagan's not getting any younger either...- No.
0:18:18 > 0:18:20This is the thing - dogs don't live as long as us.
0:18:20 > 0:18:23They're companions in the real sense, aren't they?
0:18:23 > 0:18:25Yeah, you can talk to the dog
0:18:25 > 0:18:29and you can tell the dog secrets which you know the dog won't repeat.
0:18:29 > 0:18:33The dogs don't take depression. They don't understand it,
0:18:33 > 0:18:37so just the stroke of a dog cheers yourself up.
0:18:37 > 0:18:40So when you knew that Reagan was going to have to retire,
0:18:40 > 0:18:44it must have been, you know, quite a concern?
0:18:44 > 0:18:46Yeah, it was heartbreaking.
0:18:46 > 0:18:48I must admit, when I got told he had to retire,
0:18:48 > 0:18:50me and my mum had a few tears
0:18:50 > 0:18:55and I was thinking, "Oh, my God, I'm going to lose him," and all that
0:18:55 > 0:18:57and we'd be back to square one again
0:18:57 > 0:19:00and my mum won't have her life again -
0:19:00 > 0:19:02she'll have to do everything for me.
0:19:03 > 0:19:05But Canine Partners were there.
0:19:05 > 0:19:08They set about searching for a new dog
0:19:08 > 0:19:12that would suit Christine's needs so she could live more independently.
0:19:12 > 0:19:14It's a big decision to take on another dog
0:19:14 > 0:19:16and think about retiring Reagan.
0:19:16 > 0:19:20She's had a fabulous, fantastic partnership with Reagan
0:19:20 > 0:19:22and a new dog, she has to get used to -
0:19:22 > 0:19:23how will they work?
0:19:23 > 0:19:26And the different character and different personality of a new dog,
0:19:26 > 0:19:29which can be a little bit scary for someone new.
0:19:29 > 0:19:33Later on, we'll find out how Christine is getting on.
0:19:38 > 0:19:41Now from those people who really need the help of the state
0:19:41 > 0:19:43to those who just abuse the system.
0:19:46 > 0:19:51Paying tax on your earnings is something that nearly everybody has to do
0:19:51 > 0:19:53and it's what keeps the country ticking over.
0:19:53 > 0:19:56But there are some people that think they can get away
0:19:56 > 0:19:58without paying into the pot.
0:19:58 > 0:20:03HMRC's tax fraud investigators make it their top priority
0:20:03 > 0:20:05to stamp out the tax cheats.
0:20:06 > 0:20:09Meet Gary Turner, a successful butcher from Leeds,
0:20:09 > 0:20:13who had a reputation for making delicious meat pies.
0:20:13 > 0:20:15By the mid 1990s he had two businesses,
0:20:15 > 0:20:18a butcher's that sold meat products and pies
0:20:18 > 0:20:19and a meat wholesaler's.
0:20:19 > 0:20:22Both the companies were VAT registered
0:20:22 > 0:20:25and Turner was completing quarterly VAT returns.
0:20:25 > 0:20:27It's a fairly simple document.
0:20:27 > 0:20:29It contains the tax that you have charged to your customers
0:20:29 > 0:20:33and the tax that you have been charged by your suppliers
0:20:33 > 0:20:37and the difference you either pay to HMRC or is repaid to you.
0:20:38 > 0:20:41Food products don't have any VAT on them
0:20:41 > 0:20:42but if you sell them,
0:20:42 > 0:20:46you can reclaim VAT on your purchases relating to their sales.
0:20:46 > 0:20:50So Turner was actually receiving payments back from HMRC.
0:20:50 > 0:20:55Most butchers who are selling zero-rated goods, such as meat,
0:20:55 > 0:20:58will actually incur expenses in running the business
0:20:58 > 0:21:00and they'll be able to reclaim that back from HMRC
0:21:00 > 0:21:02by completing a VAT return.
0:21:02 > 0:21:06But in 1995, the British meat industry was shaken
0:21:06 > 0:21:11by the BSE crisis and it hit Turner hard.
0:21:11 > 0:21:13Because they received VAT returns from him,
0:21:13 > 0:21:17HMRC believed Turner had survived the crisis.
0:21:17 > 0:21:19All that changed in April 2011,
0:21:19 > 0:21:24when a VAT officer decided to do a routine inspection on Turner.
0:21:24 > 0:21:30The officer went to look at his February 2011 VAT return,
0:21:30 > 0:21:35which was a repayment for somewhere in the region of £43,000.
0:21:35 > 0:21:39He asked Gary for his business records
0:21:39 > 0:21:42and Gary said that they were with his accountant.
0:21:42 > 0:21:48But the officer managed to get two invoices and copies of some of Turner's bank statements.
0:21:48 > 0:21:54The bank statements didn't really show his true income and expenditure
0:21:54 > 0:21:58and some of the VAT repayments that had been paid to Gary Turner
0:21:58 > 0:22:00had been omitted from the bank statements,
0:22:00 > 0:22:02so this aroused his suspicion.
0:22:02 > 0:22:07The case was referred up to HMRC's fraud investigators,
0:22:07 > 0:22:09who checked out the invoices.
0:22:09 > 0:22:12I contacted the distribution company
0:22:12 > 0:22:15and after a telephone call and a visit,
0:22:15 > 0:22:20it became apparent that Gary Turner had never traded with the distribution company.
0:22:20 > 0:22:25All the invoices Turner had from the distributor were bogus
0:22:25 > 0:22:28and there was a discrepancy with the other invoice as well.
0:22:28 > 0:22:33It became apparent that the company that he purported to trade with
0:22:33 > 0:22:35actually sold chicken.
0:22:35 > 0:22:39Within the business, chicken would be classed as poultry
0:22:39 > 0:22:43and red meat such as beef would be considered meat.
0:22:43 > 0:22:46The invoices that Gary Turner had in his possession
0:22:46 > 0:22:49were for the supplies of meat.
0:22:49 > 0:22:53Again, it became evident after going to see them that they were false
0:22:53 > 0:22:57and that the whole thing had been made up.
0:22:57 > 0:23:01The invoices suggested that Turner was faking business
0:23:01 > 0:23:03in order to claim repayments.
0:23:03 > 0:23:06The next step was to check out Turner's bank records.
0:23:06 > 0:23:13These were then compared to the bank statements that Gary Turner had provided to the visiting officer
0:23:13 > 0:23:19and it soon became apparent that Gary Turner had falsified the bank statements.
0:23:19 > 0:23:25There was a chance that Turner could have been providing HMRC with fake business records
0:23:25 > 0:23:26for over a decade.
0:23:26 > 0:23:30So the investigators scheduled a dawn raid in June 2011
0:23:30 > 0:23:32to find more evidence.
0:23:32 > 0:23:35Once we got into the house,
0:23:35 > 0:23:38it became apparent that Gary Turner's lifestyle was lavish.
0:23:39 > 0:23:42Among the luxury items the investigators found
0:23:42 > 0:23:45were three cars on the drive with private number plates
0:23:45 > 0:23:50and a collection of designer watches worth tens of thousands of pounds.
0:23:50 > 0:23:52But it wasn't long before the investigators found
0:23:52 > 0:23:54what they were really looking for.
0:23:54 > 0:23:59During the search, it became apparent that Gary Turner had kept
0:23:59 > 0:24:03all his business records from 1995.
0:24:03 > 0:24:06This included all the purchase invoices,
0:24:06 > 0:24:09all the sales invoices and all copies of the VAT returns
0:24:09 > 0:24:13in relation to the repayments that he had submitted
0:24:13 > 0:24:15to Revenue and Customs.
0:24:15 > 0:24:18Having found the stash of Turner's dodgy paperwork,
0:24:18 > 0:24:21they arrested him and took him off for questioning.
0:24:21 > 0:24:26Turner quickly confessed that when his business was affected by the BSE crisis,
0:24:26 > 0:24:30he began faking records in order to receive repayments.
0:24:30 > 0:24:34And since HMRC didn't come after him, he decided to carry on with the scam,
0:24:34 > 0:24:37that ran for over 15 years.
0:24:37 > 0:24:40In Gary Turner's case, he was paying out zero
0:24:40 > 0:24:43but reclaiming hundreds of thousands of pounds every year
0:24:43 > 0:24:46and that money was going straight into his bank account
0:24:46 > 0:24:48and funding his lavish lifestyle.
0:24:48 > 0:24:53Among the evidence at Turner's home was paperwork for five-star family holidays
0:24:53 > 0:24:55worth thousands of pounds
0:24:55 > 0:24:59and a bungalow he'd bought his son, all paid for by the tax payer.
0:24:59 > 0:25:03HMRC calculated that he'd scammed the Exchequer for a mammoth...
0:25:06 > 0:25:08Following Gary Turner being charged,
0:25:08 > 0:25:10he was then sent up to Leeds Crown Court.
0:25:10 > 0:25:14He advised the judge that he was going to plead guilty.
0:25:14 > 0:25:16On 15th March 2012,
0:25:16 > 0:25:20Gary Turner was sentenced to five years' imprisonment
0:25:20 > 0:25:22for cheating the public revenue.
0:25:22 > 0:25:24But the HMRC didn't stop there.
0:25:26 > 0:25:29We were aware that Gary Turner had significant assets
0:25:29 > 0:25:32and we believed that those assets had been obtained
0:25:32 > 0:25:34through his illegal activity
0:25:34 > 0:25:35and that was proved to be the case.
0:25:35 > 0:25:40So we were very keen as a department to try and recover that money back for the benefit of the public purse.
0:25:40 > 0:25:43The department obtained restraint orders
0:25:43 > 0:25:44from the High Court in London
0:25:44 > 0:25:49to freeze Turner's assets and then began to take them back.
0:25:49 > 0:25:54The confiscation is restricted to the amount of the realisable assets that somebody actually has.
0:25:54 > 0:25:58All he had left was net assets of £241,000
0:25:58 > 0:26:01and that is what the confiscation order was made in respect of.
0:26:02 > 0:26:06So although HMRC couldn't claim back the £3.3 million,
0:26:06 > 0:26:09well, it was a result.
0:26:09 > 0:26:11The message it sends out to anybody is
0:26:11 > 0:26:15if you commit crime, these are the sort of things that you may end up facing,
0:26:15 > 0:26:18as well as losing your family home,
0:26:18 > 0:26:20as well as losing all of the assets that you actually have.
0:26:25 > 0:26:27It's time to say goodbye to the fraudsters
0:26:27 > 0:26:30and welcome back those people who really need the public's help.
0:26:33 > 0:26:3842-year-old Christine Mildenhall has cerebral palsy
0:26:38 > 0:26:40and for the last ten years has relied on her dog, Reagan,
0:26:40 > 0:26:42to help her to be independent.
0:26:42 > 0:26:44Because of Reagan, she's self-sufficient.
0:26:44 > 0:26:48She can go shopping, visit friends and enjoy her surroundings.
0:26:48 > 0:26:51It means she doesn't have to rely on her elderly mother Joyce
0:26:51 > 0:26:53as her sole carer.
0:26:53 > 0:26:57Christine got Reagan from a charity who trained him to help disabled people
0:26:57 > 0:27:00and she uses the benefits she's entitled to to look after him.
0:27:00 > 0:27:05But the 11-year-old black Labrador has now reached the age of retirement
0:27:05 > 0:27:09and the charity's trying to find her a new dog.
0:27:09 > 0:27:12It's a not clear science when you match a person with a dog.
0:27:12 > 0:27:13We have to consider that.
0:27:13 > 0:27:18And the impact of having a young dog again is going to be quite different for Christine
0:27:18 > 0:27:19as she has got used to having an older dog
0:27:19 > 0:27:22that has got an established routine with her already.
0:27:22 > 0:27:23Good boy!
0:27:23 > 0:27:28I thought his age would never come. I thought he'd always be a young pup.
0:27:28 > 0:27:31But that's in my dreams.
0:27:31 > 0:27:36But it's quite upsetting to know that it's going to be his time to retire
0:27:36 > 0:27:42but he's worked nearly ten years now and he's coming up for eleven
0:27:42 > 0:27:44and he's got health problems,
0:27:44 > 0:27:47so it's got to be his time to be a dog
0:27:47 > 0:27:50and do whatever he wants to do -
0:27:50 > 0:27:53sleep and eat and sleep again.
0:27:55 > 0:27:58The charity's worked closely with Christine for two months,
0:27:58 > 0:28:00gradually weaning Reagan off his duties.
0:28:00 > 0:28:03What will happen to him, though, once he fully retires?
0:28:03 > 0:28:07So, with Christine, because she lives with her mother,
0:28:07 > 0:28:10her mum could take on the responsibility for looking after Reagan,
0:28:10 > 0:28:14who wants to be in the home a lot more and sleep a lot more,
0:28:14 > 0:28:15which will suit her mother, Joyce.
0:28:15 > 0:28:19So Reagan gets to stay at home and in the meantime,
0:28:19 > 0:28:22one of the charity's trainers, Claire Cannon,
0:28:22 > 0:28:24has been training a potential match
0:28:24 > 0:28:27to help Christine with the tasks that Reagan used to do.
0:28:28 > 0:28:30Fletcher's a very lovable boy.
0:28:30 > 0:28:33He's a big golden retriever who loves cuddles.
0:28:33 > 0:28:36He's very enthusiastic in all of his work
0:28:36 > 0:28:38but also very laid back
0:28:38 > 0:28:42and he's quite happy to take a back seat when he needs to.
0:28:42 > 0:28:46He generally sort of loves life and is quite eager to please.
0:28:46 > 0:28:48Fletcher was raised by a puppy parent
0:28:48 > 0:28:50and then just before he turned two years old,
0:28:50 > 0:28:54he joined the charity for his 15-week initial training.
0:28:54 > 0:28:56He was learning all the more advanced tasks,
0:28:56 > 0:29:00so unloading the washing machine, picking items off shelves in the shops and things like that.
0:29:01 > 0:29:03But you know, dogs are territorial animals.
0:29:03 > 0:29:07How will Reagan feel if there's a new kid on the block?
0:29:07 > 0:29:11Reagan will naturally be quite inquisitive of the new guy in the new home
0:29:11 > 0:29:14but Joyce will be there to take him out
0:29:14 > 0:29:16to allow Christine time to focus on Fletcher,
0:29:16 > 0:29:20so it's not putting Reagan or Fletcher's neck out of joint.
0:29:20 > 0:29:25However, the success of the new partnership all depended
0:29:25 > 0:29:28on whether or not Christine could form a strong bond with Fletcher,
0:29:28 > 0:29:30like the one that she had with Reagan.
0:29:30 > 0:29:34I've had a day to go up there just for a day
0:29:34 > 0:29:36and they bought Fletcher out
0:29:36 > 0:29:39and I took Reagan up with me as well.
0:29:39 > 0:29:43And they clipped Fletcher onto the side of my chair
0:29:43 > 0:29:44and it felt just right.
0:29:44 > 0:29:48It felt like he'd been there with me forever.
0:29:48 > 0:29:50During that one-day meeting,
0:29:50 > 0:29:53the charity saw the chemistry between Christine and Fletcher
0:29:53 > 0:29:56and decided to put them on a two-week intensive training course.
0:29:56 > 0:29:59If they worked well together, Fletcher would go home with Christine
0:29:59 > 0:30:02and become her new canine partner.
0:30:02 > 0:30:04It's an important time for everyone
0:30:04 > 0:30:06and the two weeks of training are nearly up,
0:30:06 > 0:30:09so I've popped along to see how they're doing.
0:30:09 > 0:30:11Fletcher, you're gorgeous.
0:30:11 > 0:30:14- How has it been, Christine? - It's been fantastic.
0:30:14 > 0:30:17Training is very tiring
0:30:17 > 0:30:21but meeting Fletcher and training with Fletcher has been fantastic.
0:30:21 > 0:30:23Claire, you've got to be sure of your stuff
0:30:23 > 0:30:25- because there's a big responsibility here.- Yeah.
0:30:25 > 0:30:32You're sending a dog out that really, is not just a big part of Christine's life
0:30:32 > 0:30:35- but could save her life. - Yeah. No, definitely.
0:30:35 > 0:30:38You know, it's really important that, already with Christine having a dog,
0:30:38 > 0:30:41that we make sure that her second dog is just as successful
0:30:41 > 0:30:43as the partnership she's already had.
0:30:43 > 0:30:45- Reagan's set the bar very high... - Yeah.
0:30:45 > 0:30:47..and in two weeks you can't teach him everything he knew.
0:30:47 > 0:30:50How do you know when to stop and not be too ambitious?
0:30:50 > 0:30:54Well, obviously the training time that we have here with the dogs is quite restricted.
0:30:54 > 0:30:56When Christine came down for matching,
0:30:56 > 0:31:01we discussed what tasks, what things she would like Fletcher to be able to help her with
0:31:01 > 0:31:04and so I've tried to cover them as a ground basic
0:31:04 > 0:31:07and start them to a good level, to a good standard,
0:31:07 > 0:31:10and now it's up to Chris to continue the good work and keep it up.
0:31:10 > 0:31:14It's official - Christine and Fletcher are a great pair
0:31:14 > 0:31:19and Claire Anthony understands just how important this new partnership is.
0:31:19 > 0:31:23Reagan completely changed the person that came to us over ten years ago
0:31:23 > 0:31:25and it'll now be Fletcher's job to take over that role
0:31:25 > 0:31:27and completely change it again
0:31:27 > 0:31:29and boost her and get her out and about and doing things
0:31:29 > 0:31:31that she wants to do in the future.
0:31:31 > 0:31:34Reagan was in charge for the last ten years.
0:31:34 > 0:31:35Now it's Fletcher's turn.
0:31:35 > 0:31:40When I bring Fletcher home, Reagan will still be number one.
0:31:40 > 0:31:43Reagan won't have anything moved that belongs to him.
0:31:43 > 0:31:46His bed will still be in the same place.
0:31:46 > 0:31:49Reagan will just step back
0:31:49 > 0:31:52and let Fletcher work.
0:31:52 > 0:31:55Once again, the charity's come to Christine's rescue,
0:31:55 > 0:31:58allowing her to keep her freedom.
0:31:59 > 0:32:02A lot of people come here and they're quite self-conscious
0:32:02 > 0:32:04and maybe a bit withdrawn
0:32:04 > 0:32:08but even within a couple of weeks, they often come out of themselves.
0:32:08 > 0:32:10They're less withdrawn and more confident
0:32:10 > 0:32:13and, you know, realise that they're able to have a lot more independence
0:32:13 > 0:32:15because of their dog.
0:32:15 > 0:32:17So it's time for Fletcher to move in
0:32:17 > 0:32:19and give Christine the support she needs
0:32:19 > 0:32:22in her everyday life.
0:32:22 > 0:32:24I'm very sorry to see Fletcher go.
0:32:24 > 0:32:27He's probably one of my favourite dogs that I've trained
0:32:27 > 0:32:30but I know he's going to such a lovely lady
0:32:30 > 0:32:33and he's going to provide her with so much help and support
0:32:33 > 0:32:35that no-one else could really do.
0:32:38 > 0:32:41It's been nearly two months since the training course
0:32:41 > 0:32:44and now Fletcher is living with her full time
0:32:44 > 0:32:47and settling into his new job.
0:32:47 > 0:32:52I forgot what it's like, having a two-year-old
0:32:52 > 0:32:55and it's absolutely fantastic.
0:32:55 > 0:32:57We've bonded brilliantly.
0:32:57 > 0:33:01He's so laid back, he's horizontal, nearly.
0:33:01 > 0:33:04But he's a really, really good worker.
0:33:04 > 0:33:09Fletcher's age means Christine also benefits from advances in training,
0:33:09 > 0:33:12because he can do certain tasks that Reagan can't,
0:33:12 > 0:33:15like taking cash and bank cards from the cash point.
0:33:15 > 0:33:19The future is bright.
0:33:20 > 0:33:24You know, my independence that... I've got more independence now.
0:33:24 > 0:33:28Bring it on! I'm looking forward to doing a lot more with him
0:33:28 > 0:33:30and letting people meet him.
0:33:31 > 0:33:34And as for Reagan, well, look at him.
0:33:34 > 0:33:37He can just take it easy - he's earned it.
0:33:41 > 0:33:44Christine seems happy and relieved
0:33:44 > 0:33:47that she may well have found the right dog
0:33:47 > 0:33:50to help her through the next ten years of her life -
0:33:50 > 0:33:53a dog that can change her life but also possibly save it, as well.
0:33:54 > 0:33:57Not every dog can become a canine partner...
0:33:59 > 0:34:01as I think we've just seen.
0:34:02 > 0:34:04Ozzie!
0:34:09 > 0:34:12It's now time, though, to return to the slightly murky world
0:34:12 > 0:34:14of those we call scroungers -
0:34:14 > 0:34:17the fraudsters out to turn over the tax payer.
0:34:18 > 0:34:23Struggling 40-year-old Chukwuka Nwadei lived in the London Borough of Newham
0:34:23 > 0:34:28and because of unemployment, he'd been claiming house benefit and Jobseeker's allowance
0:34:28 > 0:34:29for eight years.
0:34:29 > 0:34:34But in 2009, Newham Council were given information by the National Fraud Initiative
0:34:34 > 0:34:37which suggested Nwadei was a student.
0:34:37 > 0:34:39Newham started investigating
0:34:39 > 0:34:43and received evidence from the Student Loans Company and two universities
0:34:43 > 0:34:45that Nwadei had been a student.
0:34:46 > 0:34:48They brought him in for an interview under caution
0:34:48 > 0:34:50but it was short-lived.
0:34:50 > 0:34:52The first interview was quite a short interview.
0:34:52 > 0:34:55Mr Nwadei didn't want to answer any questions.
0:34:55 > 0:34:58He was quite evasive in his answers when he was challenged
0:34:58 > 0:35:00and at the end of the interview, he then decided to stop
0:35:00 > 0:35:02because he wanted to seek legal advice.
0:35:02 > 0:35:06Nwadei hadn't given anything away or confessed to doing anything wrong,
0:35:06 > 0:35:10so the investigators had to continue building the case
0:35:10 > 0:35:12and they decided to look deeper into his finances.
0:35:13 > 0:35:17In his claim forms, he'd only ever declared one account to us.
0:35:17 > 0:35:20We'd received information that he'd been receiving his grant
0:35:20 > 0:35:22into a Northern Rock building society account.
0:35:22 > 0:35:25We knew at this point that we needed to go and get that from them,
0:35:25 > 0:35:27so that we could then present it to him
0:35:27 > 0:35:30to prove that he was receiving the grant money into that account.
0:35:30 > 0:35:35The investigators requested copies of the bank account application form
0:35:35 > 0:35:39and when they arrived, the details were a perfect match to Nwadei's.
0:35:39 > 0:35:43Someone had even written "student" in the occupation section of the form.
0:35:43 > 0:35:46An undeclared bank account was enough
0:35:46 > 0:35:48to get Nwadei into hot water with the authorities
0:35:48 > 0:35:50but things were about to get a lot worse for him
0:35:50 > 0:35:55when the London Metropolitan Uni sent through a crucial piece of evidence.
0:35:55 > 0:35:57The university takes pictures of all students
0:35:57 > 0:36:01and they were able to provide us with a photographic student identification
0:36:01 > 0:36:03that they took and we had that on record as well now.
0:36:03 > 0:36:07The net was closing in on Nwadei
0:36:07 > 0:36:10and it was becoming more and more obvious that he had been a student.
0:36:10 > 0:36:14Armed with the new evidence, the investigators scheduled another interview under caution
0:36:14 > 0:36:17and Nwadei returned in September 2009
0:36:17 > 0:36:19with a legal representative.
0:36:19 > 0:36:22First up on the agenda was the undeclared bank account.
0:36:59 > 0:37:02Yes, he's not committing to these answers, is he?
0:37:02 > 0:37:05But, come on, Chukwuka! What about the university ID card?
0:37:33 > 0:37:35So despite the original data match,
0:37:35 > 0:37:38grants being paid into a bank account in his name
0:37:38 > 0:37:41and a university ID card with his face on it,
0:37:41 > 0:37:45Nwadei still wasn't confessing to being a student.
0:37:45 > 0:37:50It takes quite some nerve to be able to sit through two interviews under caution,
0:37:50 > 0:37:53standing your ground and protesting your innocence.
0:37:53 > 0:37:56But that's exactly what Nwadei was doing.
0:37:56 > 0:37:59This time it was the investigators who suspended the interview,
0:37:59 > 0:38:04so they could gather even more evidence against Nwadei.
0:38:04 > 0:38:07Given the fact that he was still denying that he'd ever been a student,
0:38:07 > 0:38:09contradicting the evidence that we'd had to date,
0:38:09 > 0:38:13we knew then that we'd have to go away and get further information
0:38:13 > 0:38:14and put it back to him.
0:38:14 > 0:38:17We wanted to get as much information as possible from the university
0:38:17 > 0:38:20and they were able to provide us with his enrolment form.
0:38:20 > 0:38:25All the personal information on the enrolment form matched that of Nwadei.
0:38:25 > 0:38:28The next of kin was even his sister.
0:38:28 > 0:38:32To top if off, it was all written in what appeared to be the same handwriting
0:38:32 > 0:38:35as on his benefits claim forms.
0:38:35 > 0:38:39The anticipation was that he would actually see the weight of evidence that we had
0:38:39 > 0:38:42and it would leave him with no choice but to admit the fraud.
0:38:42 > 0:38:48So in January 2010, Nwadei returned for another interview under caution.
0:38:48 > 0:38:51The investigators laid out all of their evidence
0:38:51 > 0:38:54and hoped it would be a simple case of third time lucky.
0:38:54 > 0:38:56They started with the civil engineering degree
0:38:56 > 0:38:58at the University of East London.
0:39:16 > 0:39:20Another denial but what would Nwadei say about the ID photocard
0:39:20 > 0:39:22from the other university?
0:39:32 > 0:39:34Again, no joy there.
0:39:34 > 0:39:37So the investigators moved on to the undeclared bank account.
0:39:51 > 0:39:53Nwadei clearly wasn't playing ball
0:39:53 > 0:39:55but the team wasn't going to give up,
0:39:55 > 0:40:00so they moved their attention to the various application forms.
0:40:12 > 0:40:15Feeling they were banging their heads against a brick wall,
0:40:15 > 0:40:19the investigators gave Nwadei one more chance to come clean.
0:40:33 > 0:40:37So despite giving Nwadei ample opportunity to confess,
0:40:37 > 0:40:39he was still sticking to his guns.
0:40:39 > 0:40:43He left the Department for Work and Pensions and Newham Council with no other option
0:40:43 > 0:40:45but to calculate the sum of money
0:40:45 > 0:40:48he may have fraudulently claimed from them.
0:40:48 > 0:40:52It turned out that the overpayment was just over £52,000
0:40:52 > 0:40:54in relation to both benefits
0:40:54 > 0:40:56and as a result, there was no doubt in our mind
0:40:56 > 0:40:59that Mr Nwadei would need to be prosecuted.
0:41:02 > 0:41:05Nwadei faced 12 counts of benefit fraud at court.
0:41:07 > 0:41:09His appearance - low profile.
0:41:11 > 0:41:13Mr Nwadei attempted to disguise his appearance
0:41:13 > 0:41:15by wearing a hat and glasses to the court,
0:41:15 > 0:41:18so the jury asked that to be removed
0:41:18 > 0:41:20because they were keen to see whether or not this person
0:41:20 > 0:41:22was the same person as in the photo ID
0:41:22 > 0:41:24that we'd got from the university.
0:41:24 > 0:41:27And it was clear that, yes, it was the same person.
0:41:27 > 0:41:32But what were the chances of Nwadei pleading guilty in court?
0:41:32 > 0:41:35Mr Nwadei continued to deny everything
0:41:35 > 0:41:37until he was confronted with the photo ID and challenged about it.
0:41:37 > 0:41:39He nearly buckled at this point
0:41:39 > 0:41:42but he maintained his stance of being not guilty.
0:41:42 > 0:41:44You can see the similarity, right?
0:41:44 > 0:41:48I mean, anybody looking at me and my ID card here could tell
0:41:48 > 0:41:50that we are one and the same.
0:41:51 > 0:41:55Unbelievably, Nwadei thought he could pull the wool over the eyes
0:41:55 > 0:42:00of the judge and jury and so he stuck to his guns.
0:42:00 > 0:42:04But all Nwadei's denials were not enough to convince the jury
0:42:04 > 0:42:07and when they returned at the end of the trial,
0:42:07 > 0:42:09they found him guilty of all counts.
0:42:11 > 0:42:15Nwadei was convicted for ten counts of producing false statements
0:42:15 > 0:42:18and two counts of failing to notify the council
0:42:18 > 0:42:20of changes to entitlements.
0:42:20 > 0:42:24He was sentenced at a later date to seven months in prison.
0:42:24 > 0:42:27It was a very good investigation, very thorough.
0:42:27 > 0:42:28We gathered lots of evidence
0:42:28 > 0:42:30and regardless of what Mr Nwadei tried to throw at us,
0:42:30 > 0:42:33the evidence was overwhelming and therefore he was convicted.
0:42:34 > 0:42:38But will any of the money go back into the public pot?
0:42:38 > 0:42:41The overpayment was just over £52,000
0:42:41 > 0:42:44and that is still recoverable by both us and the Department of Work and Pensions,
0:42:44 > 0:42:48either by a repayment plan or some other arrangement that we will come to with him.
0:42:48 > 0:42:52So, Nwadei gets an F minus for telling the truth.
0:42:52 > 0:42:54He thought he could lie his way to freedom
0:42:54 > 0:42:58but the investigators at Newham had other ideas.
0:42:59 > 0:43:02He has, however, earned himself a first-class degree in fraud.
0:43:05 > 0:43:07Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd