Two men have pleaded guilty to a PUP scam which has cost the state over 150 thousand euro
The people impacted by the scam filled in personal information believing they were signing up for jury duty when the men then used the information to claim fraudulent PUP payments.
Oluwagbewikeke Lewis of Brookdale, Midleton, Co Cork and Bashiru Aderibige formerly of Dwyers Road, Midleton but now living in Ballincollig, Co Cork, plead guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering at Cork Circuit Criminal Court after they were involved in an email scam which had managed to secure the email addresses of 74 individuals employed by the HSE or Tusla.
The flaw in the plan was that the employees affected by the scam were not unemployed due to Covid-19 pandemic and therefore didn't need to claim the Pandemic Unemployment Payment.
Detective Garda Keeshan, said that €30,000 of the funds fraudulently received via PUP went to a German Bank Account and that the two men where in constant contact via WhatsApp with people they believe to be involved in international crime.
Both men were remanded in custody until their next court appearance on November 10th and the total loss to the State is in the region of €150,000.
