Cake-maker guilty of benefit fraud

A mother of four was fraudulently claiming benefits while running a cake-making business.

Elisha Lopez (aged 36) had claimed housing benefit as a single parent living in Rochdale Old Road, Bury since 2011. Her boyfriend was the former occupant and had supposedly moved out prior to Lopez renting the property from him. She claimed on the basis that her earnings were from working part-time as a qualified nurse.

Bury Council investigators were tipped off in January 2013 that Lopez had a second job running a cake business and that she was living at the property with her partner, who was also the property
owner.

During the investigation, her partner was seen leaving the property each morning for work and returning home in the evening. It had been claimed that he lived with his mother in a nearby property, but the two vehicles he owned were registered and insured from Lopez’s home address and not his mother’s.

Facebook pages confirmed the relationship and Lopez used a dedicated Facebook page to advertise her cake-making business and take orders.

Lopez was subsequently arrested, and pleaded guilty to two charges of benefit fraud at Bury Magistrates Court on 9 July 2014. She had failed to tell the council that she was living with her partner, and that she was running her own business.

She was sentenced to a 12-month Community Order with 130 hours unpaid work and ordered to pay costs of £928. She will also have to pay back the £3,930 in benefits that she wrongly claimed.

Councillor Sandra Walmsley, cabinet member for resource and regulation, said: “Benefit fraud is not only wrong, but it’s unfair on the taxpayer and on genuine claimants. We will continue to take action against those who abuse the system.”

ENDS

Press release issued: 15 July 2014.