Charged with dead woman benefit fraud

A woman has been charged with committing benefit fraud totalling millions of ISK by claiming and stealing payments made to another woman who died in September 2000.

According to the charges, the accused, currently living in Denmark, failed to inform the Icelandic Social Insurance Administration of the death of the woman and submitted income tax returns in her name for ten years after she had died.

In so doing, the accused kept the deceased woman’s benefit payments (pension, income supplements, care benefits, etc.) active. The estimated total paid out after the woman’s death is ISK 14,291,539 (approx. €97,000).

These payments were made monthly into the deceased’s bank account. The accused – who had proxy access to this bank account – allegedly made regular withdrawals and used the money for her own purposes.

The case will go to Reykjavik District Court next week.