Steve and Kim Benstock amassed an ‘spectacular’ portfolio of houses from their tax and profit fraud
Steve and Kim Benstock amassed an ‘spectacular’ portfolio of houses (Picture: Fb)
A married couple swindled £630,000 by claiming advantages and dodging tax whereas increase a “Monopoly”-style property empire, a court docket heard. Steve and Kim Benstock amassed an “spectacular” portfolio of houses – all whereas committing profit and tax fraud, Snaresbrook Crown Court docket was informed.
The pair allegedly made faux claims to the Division for Work and Pensions (DWP) whereas failing to declare their earnings to HM Income & Customs. The court docket heard Mr and Mrs Benstock used the ill-got positive factors to dwell a “considerably lavish life-style”, together with journeys to Thailand and the Caribbean, in addition to shopping for a vacation dwelling in Fuerteventura.
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Steve Benstock, 62, was sentenced to 5 years (Picture: Tony Kershaw / SWNS)
They had been caught after a joint DWP and HMRC probe and had been sentenced on Tuesday afternoon (June 2).
Mr Benstock, 62, was sentenced to 5 years after beforehand being discovered responsible of 12 counts, together with acquiring a cash switch by deception, fraud offences, dishonestly failing to inform a change in circumstances, and dishonest the general public income.
Mrs Benstock, 69, was handed a nine-month sentence, suspended for a 12 months, after being discovered responsible of six counts regarding housing profit, council tax profit and capital positive factors tax evasion throughout two properties.
The court docket heard the grandparents dedicated profit fraud by claiming means-tested advantages they weren’t entitled to from July 2002 to July 2019.
Mr Benstock lived a “double life”, utilizing false names to cover his wealth and to create sham tenancy agreements.
He used the identify “Steve Twinley” to open financial institution accounts and procure a driving licence, whereas he informed the DWP {that a} “Steve Money” was dwelling at and paying the mortgage at considered one of his houses.
Kim Benstock, 69, was handed a nine-month sentence, suspended for a 12 months (Picture: Tony Kershaw / SWNS)
The profit fraudster had additionally didn’t pay earnings tax and Nationwide Insurance coverage contributions, defrauding HMRC between Might 2004 and January 2020 when he labored as a bar supervisor.
In October 2008, Mr Benstock informed housing officers at Newham Council they’d “no cash in any financial institution accounts” with a view to declare housing profit and that he paid £1,000 a month to his landlord – regardless of having over £32,000 in a joint account and holding belongings price greater than £400,000.
The pair additionally defrauded Epping Forest District Council in July 2012, claiming housing profit and council tax assist regardless of having an curiosity in three properties.
Prosecutor Alex Davidson informed the court docket the couple additionally constructed up a formidable assortment of properties, “paying homage to the board recreation Monopoly”, which they collected rental earnings from.
The couple had been mentioned to have as much as half one million kilos price of belongings, however dedicated tax fraud by failing to offer discover of the sale of three houses in east London and Romford.
The court docket heard Mr Benstock dedicated a complete of £253,713.18 in advantages fraud, for a complete of £539,691.10 in positive factors when added to the tax fraud.
Mrs Benstock dedicated £61,933.08 of profit fraud, for a complete of £88,340.08 in acquire when added to the tax offences.
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She lives with rheumatoid arthritis and is in receipt of round the clock care from her husband. The court docket heard she was lawfully receiving incapacity dwelling allowance.
Mitigating for Mr Benstock, defence barrister Stephen Cooke admitted he was “not a person of fine character”, with three non-violent convictions from the Nineteen Eighties and Nineteen Nineties.
The court docket heard he was convicted of tried theft in 1982 and of making an attempt to acquire property by deception in 1991.
Mr Cooke argued his shopper ought to keep away from fast custody as he fulfils a “every day, nearly 24-hour a day caring position” for his spouse.
The barrister mentioned Mr Benstock had “extraordinarily belatedly” begun to indicate “some acceptance and expression of regret” for his actions, together with breaking down in tears over the impact of proceedings on his spouse.
Mitigating for Mrs Benstock, defence barrister Katherine Lloyd mentioned her position was “restricted” to signing two varieties to say housing advantages and that all the court docket course of had been a “sobering expertise” which had left her “deeply mortified”.
The court docket heard she had acquired a police warning in 2015 for 2 offences of theft from a store on the identical day.
Sentencing the couple, who’re from Essex, Decide Franklin mentioned not one of the cash from the offences had ever been recovered.
He mentioned: “From July 2002 to July 2019, you each acquired state advantages after acquiring them dishonestly. This cash was put aside to assist essentially the most weak in society, and it was greed on each your elements that led you to divert these funds.”
Decide Franklin mentioned he accepted that the “inevitable custodial sentence” would depart Mr Benstock involved concerning the welfare of his spouse.
Andrew Western, Work and Pensions Minister for Transformation, mentioned after the sentencing: “It is a stark instance of the form of brazen fraud that this Authorities is decided to root out.
“Whereas the Benstocks had been performing like Monopoly tycoons – amassing rental earnings from the consolation of lavish properties with outside swimming pools – they had been serving to themselves to advantages they’d completely no proper to.
“The sport is now up, and this case ought to be a warning to others that the DWP is ramping up its efforts, working carefully with companion companies like HMRC, to determine and prosecute fraudsters.”
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