A Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) civil servant defrauded his own employer of more than £22,000 by helping his mother claim pension credit while she was living abroad. Christian Okwuegbue, 46, an admin officer at the DWP, pleaded guilty to fraud at Swansea Crown Court.
How the Fraud Unfolded
Prosecutor Emma Harris told the court that Okwuegbue's mother, a foreign national, claimed pension credit under the European Union settlement scheme. The claim was initially legitimate, and payments began in December 2021. However, the DWP discovered in 2024 that Okwuegbue's mother had been living abroad for much of the time she was receiving the benefit.
Okwuegbue's role involved handling pension credit applications, but he was not involved in assessing his mother's claim. Despite this, he sent a letter in 2023 falsely stating that his mother had moved to a new UK address. The overpayment amounted to £22,237.
Defense and Sentencing
Defense barrister Ian Ibrahim said Okwuegbue, a British citizen who has lived in the UK since 2013, helped his mother after her husband's death. She had difficulties opening a bank account and adjusting to life in the UK. The pension credit was paid into Okwuegbue's account because his mother did not have her own, and the DWP was aware of this arrangement.
Ibrahim stated: 'He put an app on her phone for mobile banking so she could access the money. He thought she would just go to the shops and take out £20, whatever she needed to buy things. She ended up taking all of it out of the account. He has, of course, facilitated that in knowing she had moved out of the country and continued to claim pension credit. He made no money out of this.'
Okwuegbue was interviewed by police in July 2024 and initially claimed he was 'not responsible' for his mother's declarations, though he accepted his duty to report what he knew. He was sacked by the DWP and pleaded guilty to fraud, his first conviction.
Ibrahim added: 'He's remorseful, your honour, and he wishes he'd never helped his mother out at all in relation to this because now his good character is lost forever.'
Impact and Sentence
Judge Peter Heywood sentenced Okwuegbue to nine months in prison, suspended for 24 months, and ordered him to complete 50 hours of unpaid work. The court noted the offence was an abuse of trust but not motivated by personal gain.
