A man has been sentenced to 42 months in prison for using a false identity to fraudulently obtain a flat near Grenfell Tower and attempting to access funds allocated for survivors of the 2017 fire incident. Adam Mejri, aged 47, pleaded for leniency as he was found guilty of multiple deceitful claims at Southwark Crown Court.
According to the Department for Work and Pensions, Mejri unlawfully acquired over £160,000 in benefits and council assistance. This sum included more than £52,000 in fake employment support allowance requests, approximately £107,000 in housing benefit applications, and around £4,000 in local council tax support.
Prosecutors revealed that Mejri made several attempts to access a £5,000 support fund designated for individuals affected by the Grenfell Tower tragedy. In one instance in March 2018, he purported to be the legitimate tenant of an unoccupied residence in close proximity to the tower. By using fabricated identity papers in the tenant’s name, Mejri managed to persuade authorities to remove a security door blocking access to the property, aiming to claim the compensation reserved for the genuine tenant.
Despite his efforts, suspicions arose regarding Mejri’s identity, leading to the denial of the compensation payout. Additionally, it was disclosed that Mejri redirected the previous tenant’s mail to alternate addresses and leased out the property for £1,200 monthly without authorization. Subsequently, in July 2019, he further exploited the faked identity to apply for universal credit.
Further investigations found that Mejri evaded scheduled Jobcentre appointments by feigning illness, alleging incapacity for work due to physical and mental health issues. Authorities uncovered discrepancies in his activities when it was revealed that he was in Saudi Arabia during the missed appointments.
Mejri was also found guilty of simultaneously claiming employment support allowance and housing benefits while earning income from subletting two additional properties in Westminster, failing to disclose this information to the local council.
Having admitted to two counts of fraud and two counts of dishonestly withholding information about his circumstances, Mejri was condemned by His Honour Judge Baumgartner as a “thoroughly deceitful individual who preyed on the vulnerability of others.” Minister for Transformation Andrew Western characterized Mejri’s actions as a “shocking and premeditated fraud,” expressing dismay at his exploitation of public systems and the Grenfell tragedy for personal gain.
Senior crown prosecutor Richard Powell condemned Mejri’s actions, asserting that his selfish behavior deprived genuine recipients of essential financial support.