Hammersmith Resident Sentenced for Care Payment Fraud
Claimed £38,000 for non-existent carer for her mother
The verdict was given at Isleworth Crown Court. Picture: Google Streetview
July 21, 2025
A Hammersmith woman has been convicted and sentenced for fraudulently claiming more than £38,000 in council funds intended for her mother’s care.
Karmelese Hussain, 41, was sentenced at Isleworth Crown Court on Monday, 16 June, to an eight-month prison term, suspended for 18 months. She was also ordered to complete 100 hours of unpaid work and 25 days of rehabilitation activity.
The sentence follows an investigation by Hammersmith & Fulham Council’s Anti-Fraud Team, which uncovered a deception that occurred over a two-year period. The court heard that Hussain had submitted forged documents, including fake invoices and bank statements, to receive direct support payments.
It was revealed that after a previous care arrangement for her mother had ended, Hussain invented a new carer to justify continuing to receive the payments. The Anti-Fraud Team found no evidence that this individual ever existed.
Hussain pleaded guilty to five offences: three counts of forgery and counterfeiting, one count of theft, and one offence under the Fraud Act.
Following the sentencing, Cllr Rowan Ree, Cabinet Member for Finance and Reform, said, "Dishonest scammers like this will not be tolerated in H&F. This is a shameful abuse of the support system that is there for those most in need. The work of our Anti-Fraud Team forms part of our fight on crime in H&F and our ruthless financial efficiency."
The council encourages residents who suspect any type of fraud against the borough to report it confidentially through the online fraud report form or by calling the anti-fraud hotline at 020 8753 1273.
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