A SERIAL benefit fraudster who used fake nationality documents to falsely claim more than £90,000 from Barnet Council has been jailed.

Yvette Nana, of Fallow Court Avenue, North Finchley, used a forged French national identity card to dupe council officials into believing she was entitled to housing and council tax benefits.

Investigations found when she entered the country she was in fact a Cameroon national with no right to public funds or financial support.

The council said their Corporate Anti-Fraud Team (CAFT) were first alerted to the case following a tip-off alleging Nana was claiming benefit as a single person while actually living with a partner.

Further investigations and joint working with the UK Border Agency (UKBA) revealed the French ID card she had used to claim benefit as a European national was not genuine.

She was arrested at her home address and interviewed at Colindale Police Station by officers from CAFT and UKBA, but denied all charges.

She later changed her plea and appeared last Wednesday at Wood Green Crown Court for sentencing.

She was given 12 month imprisonment after admitted six fraud and false accounting charges relating to the period between January 2001 and October 2007.

The council said the total overpayment identified amounted to £91,152.04.

It was the second time Nana had been investigated by Barnet's CAFT team, having already been successfully prosecuted for making a housing benefit claim under a false name in 2004.

The latest case is amongst one of the largest single fraudulent overpayments ever investigated by the borough's CAFT, and Councillor Melvin Cohen, cabinet member for governance and civic affairs, said: "The fraud perpetrated by Nana was very serious and resulted in a massive amount of public funds being illegally claimed.

“The judge had no choice but to send her to prison and I hope this acts as a warning to anyone else claiming money they are not entitled to.

"Once again, this case has highlighted the continuing good work being carried out by CAFT to identify fraudulent claims."

Anyone aware of a person who may be committing benefit fraud should contact the council's CAFT team anonymously on the fraud hotline 020 8359 2007.