Benefit claimant in Leeds collected tens of thousands despite having £42,000 savings
He is now on a plan to pay back ill-gotten gains
A benefit cheat who swindled tens of thousands of pounds despite having a huge amount in savings has avoided custody.
Kiamarz B Birgani spent years claiming employment allowance and housing benefits to the tune of more than £41,000.
It was later found that at one point he had £42,000 in his bank accounts, making him ineligible to claim benefits, but failed to declare the stashed cash to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
Prosecutor Vincent Blake-Barnard told Leeds Crown Court that the 69-year-old first claimed in 2016. At some point he received a windfall, which he put into savings.
For years he claimed housing benefit to the tune of £11,087 and £30,821 of employment and support allowance he was not entitled to.
However, having been found out, the unemployed pensioner was now paying back what he owed but still has more than £34,000 left outstanding.
Mitigating, Andrea Parnham said it was not fraudulent “from the outset”, with Birgani receiving the savings money later.
She said Birgani, of Raynel Drive, Lawnswood, was a hard worker after he had arrived to live in the UK from Iran in 2001.
However, he suffered illness and was left unable to work.
Judge Kate Rayfield accepted that he had worked hard for the first 15 years he had been in the UK and made legitimate claims from the state.
She added: “However, there came a time when you had built up significant savings. You had money on which you could support yourself.
“You continued to take money from the state.
“It’s for those who need it and can’t live without it.”
She said she accepted Birgani’s physical problems and said he was probably “not giving significant thought to your obligations”.
She also said it was “out of character”, and that he pleaded guilty to the crimes at an early opportunity.
She gave him a 12-month community order with a probation requirement.
Meanwhile, Birgani will continue to repay the money owed on his payment plan.