A former social worker has been convicted of fraud and money laundering after falsely claiming relocation expenses from Southend-on-Sea City Council.
A former social worker has been convicted of fraud and money laundering after falsely claiming relocation expenses from Southend-on-Sea City Council.
At Basildon Crown Court on Tuesday 23 June, Esline Dzumbunu, 52, of The Pinnacle, Victoria Avenue, Southend-on-Sea, was found guilty by a unanimous jury of fraud by false representation and money laundering.
She was sentenced to an 18-month community order, a two-month overnight curfew from 8pm to 5am monitored by an electronic tag and ordered to pay £1,800 in compensation to the Council.
The court heard that Mrs Dzumbunu fraudulently claimed £7,920 in relocation expenses between November 2016 and June 2017.
The Council's Counter Fraud Team began investigating Mrs Dzumbunu in 2022 in relation to a separate matter. During a review of her HR records, officers identified unusual relocation expense claims.
At the time, relocation expenses were available to help recruit social workers to Southend, where recruitment was particularly challenging. However, the investigation found that Mrs Dzumbunu had not relocated as claimed when submitting the expense requests. While she later moved in with her sister in Leigh-on-Sea before obtaining her own property in Southend in 2018, she was not entitled to the payments she had claimed.
The investigation established that Mrs Dzumbunu submitted four expense claims during this period, including claims for household appliances such as a television, fridge freezer and washing machine. Evidence showed that a number of these items were returned to the retailer for refunds after the expense claims had been reimbursed. Investigators also found duplicate claims for similar items, including refrigerators and washing machines.
Mrs Dzumbunu was interviewed under caution by Counter Fraud officers but chose not to answer questions. During a separate HR interview, she stated that an intended flat purchase had fallen through and that the items had been placed into storage while she stayed with her sister and looked for alternative accommodation.
In sentencing, the judge concluded that Mrs Dzumbunu had taken advantage of the relocation scheme after realising it could be exploited. The court also recognised that she had previously been a respected and successful social worker and would face significant personal consequences as a result of her actions, including the loss of her good character, career and financial stability.
Councillor Daniel Cowan, Leader of Southend-on-Sea City Council, said:
"We expect the highest standards of integrity from everyone who works for the Council. This case demonstrates that allegations of fraud will be fully investigated and, where appropriate, pursued through the courts.
"Public money must be protected and used for the benefit of our residents. I would like to thank the Council's Counter Fraud Team for their thorough investigation and commitment to safeguarding taxpayers' funds."