Social Worker And Company Director Conspirator Jailed For £25K Care Fraud On Council

Baiyewu: Jailed For Care Plot

A social worker and her co-conspirator have been jailed after she exploited two vulnerable adults by grossly-inflating their care needs in a £25,000 fraud.

Valerie Baiyewu, 51, also illegally sub-let a private rented flat - effectively turning it into a care home for the men - behind the backs of the council she worked for.

Merton Council social worker Baiyewu, of Nottingham Avenue, West Beckton, Newham was found guilty of conspiring to defraud the council by abusing her position between May 1 and December 15, 2015.

Care company director Ayodeji Aderounmu, 50, of Scotson House, Marylee Way, Lambeth was also convicted of conspiracy to defraud and they both received 18 months imprisonment.

Baiyewu was also found guilty to of two counts of fraud by abuse of position between the same dates, relating to her assessments of Bazhad Bakshe-Riazi and Giovandan Karunanithy.

Merton Council lost approximately £25,000 to the pairs’ company AAA Carers Ltd. with Baiyewu responsible for £14,500. 

Kingston-upon-Thames Crown Court heard Baiyewu reassessed the care needs of two clients from £1,107 and £5,208 per year to £19,913 and £24,588 respectively.

At the same time she and Aderounmu together arranged for their company to take over the contracts.

Mr. Bazhad Bakshe-Riazi, had suffered a brain injury in 2013 and needed speech and language therapy and suffered weakness to the right side of his body and had been referred to the council by a charity.

Mr. Karunanithy, was partially-sighted with limited english and needed help with his shopping and preparing food.

“The purpose of this was financial gain. That’s why the assessments were increased, to increase the stream coming through from the care budget,” said Recorder Mark Bryant-Heron QC.

Aderounmu: Jailed For 25K Fraud

“You utilised your knowledge of the system to establish a business with your co-defendant without informing Merton social services,” he told Baiyewu.

“This involved you inflating the care requirements of these two vulnerable adults to maximise income from this dishonest scheme and you maintained the deception before the authorising panel.

“Your employer had no idea and you both did this to maximise income from care and housing benefit.

“There is no doubt the whole purpose of this plan was to benefit dishonestly at the expense of Merton social services.”

Prosecutor Mr. Nick Wayne said: “Baiyewu abused her position  as a social worker for gain. Aderounmu would gain more hours and more money as a carer and potentially make money by subletting houses out to clients of hers.”

The pair rented a Mitcham flat at 19 Holborn Way at £1,550 per month, which they sub-let to the men, who were on housing benefit for £850 per month each.

“She concluded Mr. Bakshe-Riazi was no longer able to manage the activities of his daily life because there had been, in her opinion, a degradation of his condition,” said Mr. Wayne.

“She recommended a new care package substantially greater than the original care package.”

She also reassessed Mr. Karunanithy. “She concluded his health and well-being had been compromised by his living conditions.”

The jury were told Baiyewu failed to disclose she was their new landlord to Merton Council.

“Her plan was to house them together and the Crown say this was with a view to make money out of the arrangement.”

The defendants passed themselves off as a couple intending to live in the flat when agreeing the letting with the owner, the jury were told.

“They had no intention of living there, but house clients of Baiyewu in the property.

The fraud was exposed when the flat owner, Louis Broomes, visited to check and a neighbour revealed it was not a couple, but two men living there, the court heard.

Aderounmu was “cagey” during an internal inspection, said Mr. Wayne. “It began to dawn on Mr. Broomes that his property was being used as a care home.

“He wanted everyone out of the property and told Merton Council.”

Baiyewu was arrested at work on November 23, 2015. “She said she thought it would be a good solution for them if they lived together.

“She said she had taken no profit.

“By the deliberate exaggerating of hours of care it was Merton Council who were defrauded.

“They had to pay out for care services that were simply not needed.”

Baiyewu’s lawyer Mr. Brent Martin said: “The stress of this situation has negatively effected her mental health. Her career is in tatters as a result of this.”