Chef convicted of fraud after video of fake fall emerges

'She shamelessly fabricated a fall in the vain attempt to claim money she was not entitled to'

A chef who tried to sue Lambeth College for personal injury after “shamelessly” engineering a sham fall captured on CCTV has been found guilty of fraud.

Anita Quansah-Okoe, 52, from Brixton, was today sentenced to 80 hours of community service and ordered to pay £500 in court costs after being found guilty of fraud by false representation.

On 3 July, 2013, Quansah-Okoe was working as a chef at Lambeth College when she claimed she had slipped over on the wet floor of the canteen in which she worked.

The fraudster claimed to have suffered multiple injuries, took three weeks’ off work, and underwent six sessions of physiotherapy.

Her personal injury claim to the college was passed on to its insurance company, Zurich, along with CCTV footage of the canteen.

The claim stated that Quansah-Okoe had landed on her right side during the fall and only realised that the floor was wet when she saw that her dress was damp as that there were no ‘wet floor’ signs in place.

She claimed to have sustained soft tissue injuries to her right shoulder, wrist, leg, foot and back and damage to her front teeth.

After reviewing the CCTV footage, however, Zurich concluded that the claim was fraudulent, and the case was referred to City of London Police’s Insurance Fraud Enforcement Department (IFED).

“The CCTV clearly shows how deliberate and premeditated Quansah-Okoe was in staging this fall,” said Detective Inspector Oliver Little of the City of London Police’s insurance fraud enforcement department.

“Insurance fraud is not a victimless crime and fraud is estimated to cost every policy holder an extra £50 on their premiums.”

Scott Clayton, claims fraud and investigations manager, said that to claim the chef had exhibited barefaced cheek by staging the fall “feels like an understatement”.

He added: “As the CCTV footage plainly demonstrates, she shamelessly fabricated a fall in the vain attempt to claim money she was not entitled to.”

Mark Silverman, principal of Lambeth College, said: “We have always taken the health and safety of our staff, students and visitors seriously.

“We are glad that the judicial process has secured the right outcome and that this matter can be brought to an end.”