Benefits cheat eBay seller jailed

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A fraudster has been jailed for selling £100,000 of goods on eBay while claiming benefits. Barry McNaughton from Portsmouth was jailed for six months, and ordered to pay back £16,700 in falsely claimed benefits.

Anti-fraud minister James Plaskitt added: ‘Our investigators have more powers than ever before. Our message is clear – don’t do it. There are no ifs, no buts – we will catch you.’

McNaughton was originally arrested for handling stolen goods, but it emerged that he was buying cheap goods from markets to sell on. The business plan was obviously pretty successful, as police found two £5,000 Rolex watches, a Tag Heuer watch, £1,300 of jewellery, a new plasma flatscreen TV, a Sony computer and Smeg kitchen appliances: the Department for Work and Pensions, who had brought the prosecution, said that they had never seen a benefits cheat make so much from eBay.

Thanks to Dan for the link.

One Response

  1. I think it is unfair what you wrote about Barry, your information was so misleading and some things were NOT TRUE. Its unfair that he is not able to make a comment in return. Did you see personally the proof of the said amount that has made him a ‘tycoon’? NO, what a surprise. Neither has anyone else. Yes he had a plasma, did you know he also has a credit contract which he was paying monthly! TYCOONS don’t live on credit, ok, a rolex, but did you also know he was left a sum of money in a will. The watch was purchased as an investment for his children. Elaborate you may say but not an illegal gain! AND did you also know that the POLICE took them and autioned them off last week? You say £10,000 the watches were valued at so why did the Police only value them at £300 for them to auction, who gets that money, surely it should go back to the state and if £10,000 was the value then his debt has a big whole in it, plus what he had already started to pay back.
    Who gets the money from the sale? Why did they not return them to him along with the rest of the property from his flat that they took saying it was all stolen? WHAT WAS? NOTHING WAS! 3 bottles of that champagne were presents, well he didn’t drink, maybe once or twice a yr, we are going to have to re think our gift lists JO PUBLIC, be careful big brother is watching you. He did not have a dishwasher either. You tell me why he can’t sell things on for profit, every shop, business and company sell it on for profit.!!! Thats business, thats how the world survives.
    Yes Barry done wrong, that can’t be denied, he is paying the price for it. OH, did they also mention he has for the last 14 months been paying it back too on top of the money that they got for the watches that they auctioned last week but we will probably never know where that money goes, ANY ONE want to chase that one up?
    He knows he’s done wrong and is sorry, there is no way way the amount was £100,000 a lot of items were re-listed, 3,4,5 times because payments were not recieved, he also brought and sold items at a loss. He got into the auctions and it was like an addiction waiting for the next bid, the question and the final sale.
    Hey, maybe you want to go and visit his TYCOON flat? A tiny bedroom/frontroom. The settee is squashed up against the bed post. The kitchen you can touch the walls from one side to the other, BLIMEY, what a life. He owes the stATE that money and will pay it back, he done wrong and will live with it for the rest of his life. He is just a lovable, friendly rouge who would give the tramp on the street his last penny and not think of himself. Those who know will be forever in his debt and they know he will never ask any favours in return. Let him serve his time and repay his debt.!!

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