Camden false asylum seeker cons �260,000 in benefit fraud
Amina Ali Muse, 38, claimed the money from various authorities including Barnet and Camden after falsely seeking asylum
A BENEFIT fraudster who obtained more than �260,000 under two identities while falsely claiming asylum in the UK, has been jailed for four and a half years.
Amina Ali Muse, of North Circular Road, conned the cash out of various authorities, including Camden and Barnet Council, over six years and was jailed today at Harrow Crown Court.
Ms Muse – which is not her real name – claimed she had witnessed various atrocities in her native Somalia to obtain asylum in the UK in June 2003.
Actually the 38-year-old had been living on benefits in Sweden under her real name – where she had also claimed asylum – at the time of the alleged atrocities, which included the supposed murder and rape of close family members.
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While living in the UK, she also claimed �50,000 in benefits from Swedish authorities – officials in the country are believed to be looking into those claims.
Once in the UK, she falsely claimed �261,358.14 under two identities for her and her six children.
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Following her conviction today, Ms Muse could be stripped of her British Citizenship and then deported, despite being an EU citizen, under special laws.
Sentencing her today, Judge Stephen Holt noted that the investigation into her fraud and subsequent prosecution had cost the taxpayer an additional �150,000.
He added that during her time in England she had made several trips to Sweden and holidayed in Africa.
Andrew Evans, prosecuting, told Judge Holt that just �6 remained in one account her in Ms Muse’s name, so there was no money to be obtained by any confiscation order.
Sentencing her, Judge Holt: “In my view this was fraudulent from the outset, it was professionally planned, it was carried out over six years and there were multiple frauds using two identities.”
At a previous trial, Ms Muse had pleaded not guilty to 23 counts of fraud, but was found guilty on all charges by a unanimous jury.
She will serve half her sentence in prison, before being released on licence.
For more on the case, and reaction, see this week’s Ham&High on Thursday.
