Two women have been convicted of fraud after conning taxpayers out of more than £86,000 in benefits they had no right to claim.
Denisa Leboova, 31, was found to have fraudulently claimed £54,514 in Universal Credit after failing to disclose joint living arrangements to the authorities.
At Newry Crown Court, Ms Leboova was sentenced to 15 months behind bars, suspended for two years.
Emma Flynn, 40, admitted to illegally claiming £31,990 in Income Support and Housing Benefit, despite not living in Northern Ireland at the time.
Ms Flynn was handed a 12-month prison sentence, suspended for two years.
The Department for Communities said the benefit cheats were caught following an investigation, and confirmed the women will be made to repay the money they illegally claimed.
The Stormont department also urged the public to report suspected cases of benefit fraud anonymously.
Communities Minister Gordon Lyons vowed to take tougher action on benefit cheats earlier this year.
Communities Minister Gordon Lyons vowed to take tougher action on benefit cheats
|PA
Mr Lyons said fraudulent claims cost taxpayers in Northern Ireland over £160million each year.
As part of a new "zero-tolerance approach", Mr Lyons said he is aiming to establish the practice of naming and shaming those convicted of benefit fraud.
The DUP Minister said that the welfare system must be safeguarded from exploitation and said that fraud “is not just a financial issue" but "a moral one".
He said: “When individuals cheat the system, they are not stealing from a faceless entity; they are taking from their neighbours, their friends, and their fellow citizens.
NORTHERN IRELAND - READ THE LATEST:
Benefit fraud - from your wallet: Total amount lost to benefit fraud per year | GB NEWS“They are undermining the very safety net that so many rely on.
"Therefore, let me be unequivocal: I am taking a zero-tolerance approach.
"I am personally committed to rooting out fraud and ensuring that those who exploit the system face the consequences.”
In the financial year ending 2025, benefit fraud and error cost UK taxpayers approximately £8.9billion.
The Department of Work and Pensions is set to receive greater powers to recover funds lost by benefit fraud
| GETTYThe Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) is set to receive greater powers to recover funds lost by benefit fraud when a crackdown Bill receives Royal Assent.
The Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Accountability) Bill will enable the DWP to recover the money directly from the bank accounts of convicted benefit cheats.
It will also give the department the authority to access bank statements from claimants it believes have the funds to repay welfare debts but are refusing to do so.
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