Benefits racket: Woman received €20,000 for disability she never suffered

A court heard Tuesday that after a woman who admitted to receiving disability benefits despite not suffering from epilepsy, unknown persons later came to her home to collect part of the money.

The prosecution also requested the freezing order against the accused to be decreased from €5 million to €1.5 million.

The compilation of evidence against former MP Silvio Grixti and four other accused continued on Tuesday, with the court hearing testimony from a Social Security representative and two former benefit recipients.

Grixti is charged together with Roger Agius, Emmanuel Spagnol, Dustin Caruana and Luke Saliba over an alleged racket through which people were helped to obtain disability benefits they were not entitled to. Previous sittings heard that several persons questioned by police had mentioned Grixti during the investigation. 

A representative from the Social Security Department presented two files relating to disability benefit applications, one filed by a woman and another by a man. Both applications were linked to epilepsy.

The woman testified that her own criminal proceedings had already been decided, allowing her to give evidence in the present case. She said she had first heard about the possibility of obtaining benefits while sitting with friends at a band club or bar near the church in Tarxien.

She told the court that a man at a nearby table overheard them discussing money problems and said he could help them receive benefits. She said she later gave her details and phone number, and was eventually handed an envelope which she was instructed to take to Social Security.

The witness said she signed documents and filled in personal details, but claimed she did not know exactly what she was signing. While filling in the form, however, she noticed references to disability and epilepsy. Under oath, she confirmed that she did not suffer from epilepsy or any such disability

She said the application was eventually accepte this was confirmed by around four people who later turned up at her home, saying they were from the board. She began receiving around €400 a month, with the first payment exceeding €1,000.

The woman testified that she was later contacted by unknown numbers and told she had to pay back part of the money because “we sorted you out”. She said different people would agree to meet with her in different places, usually in a small white car, and she would hand over a sum of cash. This happened around seven times, she said.

The witness did not identify anyone in the courtroom.

Another witness also testified after confirming that proceedings against him had been concluded. He said he had been receiving Social Security benefits. He told the court that he suffered from mental health problems and fits, and had gone to see his family doctor, the accused Silvio Grixti. According to the witness, Grixti examined him and told him he was eligible for benefits before sending him to another doctor in a pharmacy in Dingli, where paperwork was prepared for him.

The man said the board later informed him that his application had been accepted. He began receiving cheques and said he received around €20,000 in total.

Lawyers Michael Schriha, Gianella Demarco, Franco Debono, Mario Mifusd, Marion Camilleri, Lucio Sciriha, Roberto Spiteri, Jose Herrera, Arthur Azzopardi and Matthew Xuereb represented the accused. 

Police Inspectors Wayne Borg, Andy Rotin and Shaun Friggieri are prosecuting, assisted by lawyers Abigail Caruana Vella and Charmaine Abdilla from the Office of the Attorney General and Anita Giordimaina for the Department of Social Security. 

Magistrate Lara Lanfranco presided over the sitting.

The case was deferred to 20 May at 11:30am.

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