"A police investigation into housing fraud in Barking and Dagenham could reveal links to organised crime gangs, a councillor has said. City of London Police said "hundreds" of Barking and Dagenham Council-owned homes could have been fraudulently allocated to people by "corrupt housing officers for personal gain". Labour councillor Rocky Gill said the scope of the investigation could potentially reveal "mass-scale organised fraud criminality at its highest end", such as by using properties for cannabis farms and other illicit purposes."
"The Labour-run council says the investigation is solely linked to properties owned by B&D Reside, its wholly owned private housing company, rather than its own council stock. The council set up B&D Reside in 2015 to let and sell affordable homes it built as part of its major regeneration projects. According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the local authority has amassed 1bn in debt to pay for the regeneration, which it hopes to repay with income from rent and sales."
"Council counter-fraud and risk manager Kevin Key said the case involved "multiple" housing blocks. He said fraudulently let homes had been used for "anything you can think of that is linked to housing, tenancy fraud". Key told councillors at an audit and risk committee meeting this week that the council had recovered 12 fraudulently let B&D Reside homes since April. Key added that some people had used false documents to apply for homes meant for people on low incomes."
A police investigation in Barking and Dagenham targets alleged fraudulent allocation of hundreds of council-owned homes. Corrupt housing officers are suspected of allocating properties for personal gain with potential links to organised crime and illicit uses, including cannabis farms and short-term lettings. Six people have been arrested so far in relation to the probe, with no charges yet filed. The investigation is focused on homes owned by B&D Reside, the council’s wholly owned private housing company created in 2015 to let and sell affordable homes from regeneration projects. The local authority holds around 1bn in regeneration debt. Counter-fraud teams have recovered 12 fraudulently let B&D Reside homes since April, with cases involving false documents and properties used for purposes other than residence.
Read at www.bbc.com
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