Council nets £200k confiscation order against woman convicted of benefit fraud

The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea has obtained a confiscation order for more than £200,000 against a woman convicted last year of nine charges of fraud by false representation.

Carina Reid of Kingsgate House, King’s Road, SW10 had received more than £51,000 in housing and council tax benefit illegally as a result of the fraud.

At a hearing at Isleworth Crown Court this week Reid was ordered to pay £207,309.22 plus a further £14,000 towards costs.

She has three months to pay the confiscation order full amount; if she fails to she will face a further three years’ imprisonment. She has six months to pay the council their costs.

The court heard that Reid has assets of £261,522, including a share of the King’s Road flat and more than £200,000 cash sent to Dubai.

Cllr David Lindsay, Lead Member for Corporate Services at the Royal Borough, said: “We have spent over a year working to secure this excellent result. Carina Reid stole money from the public purse to live a lavish lifestyle, with no regard to those in genuine need of help and support.

“We are committed to helping all residents that need support, but we will take action whenever we discover fraud.”