Skip to main content
Home

Main navigation

  • Top stories
  • Health
  • Crime
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Tech
  • Culture
  • Sports
  • Weird
  • 1-1-2
Image
399px-Cela
- Credit: Picture: Wikimedia Commons/Andrew Bardwell
Crime
Bulgaria
Bulgarian
Bulgarian benefits fraud
Bulgarian men
childcare benefits fraud
fugitive
guilty
healthcare benefits fraud
housing benefits fraud
main suspect
Mehmet K.
mistake in court
public prosecutor
Rotterdam
Rotterdam court
social security number
Tax Authority
Turkey
Tuesday, 19 May 2015 - 18:33
Share this:
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • linkedin
  • whatsapp
  • reddit

Up to 4 years in prison for Bulgarian benefits fraud

A court in Rotterdam sentenced the ringleader in a welfare benefits scheme to four years in prison on Tuesday. Five other suspects in the fraud case were sentenced to less harsh prison terms, RTL Nieuws reported on Tuesday. The court found them guilty of housing, healthcare and childcare benefits fraud. The primary suspect, Mehmet K., was not in court. The Rotterdam-born man is believed to be hiding out in Turkey. His sentence matched the demand of the prosecutor. The others convicted in the case received sentences varying between 18 months and 3 years in prison. The six recruited Bulgarian men to arrive to the Netherlands by bus. They were then officially registered at a Dutch address, and issued social security numbers and bank accounts. Following this, the six suspects started making housing, healthcare and childcare applications on behalf of the Bulgarian men. The Bulgarians were then given 500 euros for their efforts and returned back to Bulgaria, prosecution claims. At that point, the welfare benefits started rolling into the bank accounts, and the suspects used the Bulgarian men's bank cards to collect the payments in cash, according to the prosecution. The fraud ended up costing the Netherlands roughly ten million euros, and the tax authorities alone ended up paying approximately 5.6 million euros in benefits.

Follow us:

Latest stories

  • Netherlands conducts large-scale cyber attack drill involving key infrastructure sectors
  • Netherlands looking for 4,000 additional asylum shelter spots amid rising influx
  • Purple Friday in Dutch school today to raise awareness on diversity
  • Dutch Cabinet talks hit 3 key obstacles, but PVV, NSC, BBB & VVD will keep talking: Report
  • Den Bosch mayor will not be prosecuted for hate speech allegations
  • Dutch parliament publishes Spotify playlist with MPs' favorite song

Top stories

  • Dutch Cabinet talks hit 3 key obstacles, but PVV, NSC, BBB & VVD will keep talking: Report
  • Netherlands issues travel warning for Paris citing terrorism threats
  • Netherlands to lead major study to test existing medications for long Covid treatment
  • Amsterdam cuts citywide speed limit down to 30 km/h today
  • Rental homes' value to drop 16% by end 2024: ABN Amro
  • Men still earn more than women in the Netherlands; Wage gap slowly decreasing

© 2012-2023, NL Times, All rights reserved.

Footer menu

  • Privacy
  • Contact
  • Partner content