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Grenfell fraud: Man jailed for £47k claim | Grenfell fraud: Man jailed for £47k claim |
(about 3 hours later) | |
A conman who pocketed £47,000 meant for Grenfell Tower survivors and claimed he was an undercover government researcher has been jailed for five years. | |
Moses Ettiene, 49, gave a flat number which did not exist to claim support after the devastating fire, then said he could not disclose the real address because of his "top secret" work. | Moses Ettiene, 49, gave a flat number which did not exist to claim support after the devastating fire, then said he could not disclose the real address because of his "top secret" work. |
Police arrested him in September last year. | Police arrested him in September last year. |
He had denied one count of fraud between July 2017 and June 2018. | He had denied one count of fraud between July 2017 and June 2018. |
Ettiene, of Southall, west London, netted a total of £47,415.75 worth of sustenance and accommodation at the Park Plaza Hotel. | Ettiene, of Southall, west London, netted a total of £47,415.75 worth of sustenance and accommodation at the Park Plaza Hotel. |
During the trial, he said he refused to give police his flat number because he was "bound by secrecy". | During the trial, he said he refused to give police his flat number because he was "bound by secrecy". |
He said he was unsure whether or not his collection of "secret" files was destroyed in the fire in June 2017, which killed 72 people. | He said he was unsure whether or not his collection of "secret" files was destroyed in the fire in June 2017, which killed 72 people. |
Clothes stall | Clothes stall |
"Some of the files I stored were in the flat and because I can't confirm whether they have been destroyed or not, I am not able to disclose the flat, the location of that flat, the people I lived with, or anything about that," Ettiene told jurors. | "Some of the files I stored were in the flat and because I can't confirm whether they have been destroyed or not, I am not able to disclose the flat, the location of that flat, the people I lived with, or anything about that," Ettiene told jurors. |
Ettiene's other claims included that he was afforded diplomatic immunity as a result of him being attached to the US Mission in Geneva. | Ettiene's other claims included that he was afforded diplomatic immunity as a result of him being attached to the US Mission in Geneva. |
However, he held no diplomatic status in the UK and two businesses he had previously registered with Companies House were closed due to a lack of trading. | However, he held no diplomatic status in the UK and two businesses he had previously registered with Companies House were closed due to a lack of trading. |
It also emerged that he ran a second-hand clothes stall. | It also emerged that he ran a second-hand clothes stall. |
Ettiene was arrested and charged after making the false claims to the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. | Ettiene was arrested and charged after making the false claims to the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. |
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