A4e welfare to work: Five charged over alleged fraud

A further charge has been made against five people in connection with alleged fraudulent activity at welfare to work company A4e, it has been announced.

The Crown Prosecution Service said three women and two men are each charged with one count of conspiracy to make false instruments, contrary to the Criminal Law Act.

One of the women, Ines Cano-Uribe, was one of nine A4e employees charged in September with fraud over alleged bogus claims for government contracts.

Jaswant Narwal, deputy head of fraud at the CPS, said: “The CPS has today authorised a further charge against three women and two men in connection with alleged fraudulent activity at Action 4 Employment (A4e), a social purpose company contracted by the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) to deliver the 'Inspire to Aspire' employment and training scheme.

”It is alleged that on or before 18 March 2011 A4e employees Ines Cano-Uribe (contract manager), Sarah Hawkins (quality co-ordinator), Serge Wyett (operations manager), Matthew Hannigan Train (team leader) and Hayley Wilson (recruiter) conspired to forge documentation in relation to services provided by A4e, with the intention of convincing Department for Work and Pensions auditors that the documentation and claim for payment were genuine.

“One of the women, Ines Cano-Uribe, already faces two existing charges relating to the alleged fraudulent activity at A4e.”

The five will appear before Slough Magistrates' Court on January 6.