Fraudsters cost us billions and find new ways to cheat
If you pay council tax - get angry. What follows below could make you take a stand against the cheats costing us billions.
Fake bank websites growing in number and sophistication
New research has found that the number of fake bank websites is growing. Read the advice on avoiding such websites here.
Former BBC Rogue Traders presenter jailed over fraud
Dan Penteado, known to viewers for chasing down bogus workmen, has been sent to jail for 12 weeks.
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Rogue Traders presenter told his crime was 'planned and calculated'
– John Corben, Chairman of the bench, Bournemouth Magistrates' CourtThis is not a victimless crime, it is actually a crime of stealing from the public purse. It was planned over four years and it was calculated and we consider it so serious that only a custodial sentence is appropriate - you knew exactly what you were doing. You will be sentenced to 12 weeks in prison and it will not be suspended.
Presenter of Rogue Traders made 'very poor judgment'
Dan Penteado's legal team said he committed the fraud because he was on a short-term contract and made the "very poor judgment not to interrupt the flow of housing benefit".
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Former BBC Rogue Traders presenter jailed over fraud
Dan Penteado, known to viewers for chasing down bogus workmen, has been sent to jail for 12 weeks.
Read the full storyPresenter of BBC Rogue Traders jailed over fraud
Presenter of BBC Rogue Traders, Dan Penteado, has been jailed for 12 weeks over council tax and housing benefit fraud worth more than £24,000.
Glaxo has 'learned from the mistakes that were made'
Sir Andrew Witty, Glaxo's chief executive, expressed regret yesterday and said the company had learned "from the mistakes that were made".
Today brings to resolution difficult, long-standing matters for GSK. Whilst these originate in a different era for the company, they cannot and will not be ignored.
On behalf of GSK, I want to express our regret and reiterate that we have learnt from the mistakes that were made.
We are deeply committed to doing everything we can to live up to and exceed the expectations of those we work with and serve.
Huge fraud payout for Glaxo
Glaxo promoted the popular anti-depressants Paxil and Wellbutrin for unapproved uses.
Prosecutors said that between 1998 and 2003 Glaxo illegally promoted Paxil for treating depression in children, even though it was not approved for under 18s.
The company also promoted Wellbutrin from 1999 to 2003 for weight loss, sexual dysfunction, substance addictions and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, although it was approved only for treatment of major depression.
And Glaxo will admit failing to report to the government for seven years on safety problems with the diabetes drug Avandia, which was restricted in the US and banned in Europe after it was found in 2007 to sharply increase the risks of heart attacks and congestive heart failure.
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The UK's fraud by numbers
An investigation by the National Fraud Initiative (NFI) which continually compared data held by 1,300 public and private-sector organisations from across the UK found the biggest three problem areas for fraud were:
- Pensions (£98 million)
- Council tax discount for single occupiers (£50 million)
- Housing benefit (£31 million)
It also rooted out 164 illegal foreign workers and 321 fake council house applications and led to the cancellation of tens of thousands of wrongly-held disabled parking badges and travel passes.
O'Higgins calls for Whitehall to join fight against fraud
Audit Commission chairman Michael O'Higgins called on the head of the civil service to force Whitehall departments to participate in a major anti-fraud initiative.
His appeal - in a letter to Sir Bob Kerslake expressing serious frustration,claiming there was "no defensible case" for their absence, came as the body released the latest results of the National Fraud Initiative (NFI).
CPS credits new UAE extradition treaty for capture of Ibori
Sue Patten, Head of the CPS Central Fraud Group, has issued this statement:
James Ibori, the former Governor of Delta State in Nigeria, has today been sentenced at Southwark Crown Court to 13 years' of imprisonment after seven years of determined work by a specialist team from the Crown Prosecution Service Central Fraud Group and investigators, which has brought him and several of his corrupt associates to justice.
Very significant co-operation was secured from many countries worldwide to enable us to bring this prosecution: In 2011 CPS lawyers secured the extradition of James Ibori in one of the first ever extraditions from the UAE under a new Treaty.
We issued over seventy Letters of Request to other countries to help us unravel the complex and sophisticated network of nominee companies and foreign bank accounts that Ibori used to cover up his ownership of the stolen money.
The full CPS statement is available here.
Fraudster Ibori was buying private jet when arrested
by Ronke Phillips, London Tonight reporterJames Ibori admitting plundering £50M from the oil rich state - which ironically is home to some of the poorest people in the world.
He used ill-gotten gains to buy luxury houses and flats and was in the process of buying a private jet when arrested.
Ronke Phillips is a reporter for London Tonight - to see their background on this story, click here.
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