Benefits fraud crackdown continues: Eight ordered to refund total of €145,000 in undue payments

Eight benefits fraudsters have been ordered to refund over €145,000 that they had received in medical benefits, from taxpayer funds.

The six men and two women: Justin Vella, aged 36, Glen Dalli, 28, Isabel Tanti, 41, Kirsten Vassallo, 31, Chris Fenech Bonnici, 36, Bryan Thomas Slater, 46, Alan Schembri, 42  and 20 year-old Selma Zinou pleaded guilty to benefits fraud before magistrate Rachel Montebello.

In view of the fact that she was still a student, Zinou was sentenced to probation, with the others receiving suspended sentences.

The seven individuals convicted today are the latest in a long list of people charged over the past year, accused of claiming social benefits for illnesses which they did not actually suffer from. 

Several of those convicted had claimed the involvement of former Labour backbencher MP Dr. Silvio Grixti, family doctor, as having helped them to receive the payments, although there do not appear to be plans to charge Grixti himself.

Police inspectors Michael Tabone, Shaun Friggieri, Keith Caruana Darmanin, Andy Rotin and Wayne Rodney Borg prosecuted the various cases.