Benefit fraud

Collected from Austria, lived in Germany

Tyrolean authorities have uncovered a brazen case of social benefit fraud. A German woman (63) had been receiving various benefits since 2016. This was despite the fact that she had already received alimony from her husband. In addition, her main residence in Tyrol was just a hoax.

As the police investigation revealed, the 63-year-old, who comes from Germany, settled in the district of Reutte in 2016 and established her main residence there - at least on paper. She concealed the fact that she was receiving money from her separated husband from the authorities.

Instead, she applied for benefits such as housing assistance and a heating allowance.

In this way, the German woman was able to enrich herself with a five-digit euro sum.

Eine Sprecherin der Polizei

"Apartment" used by relatives as a vacation home
"In this way, the German woman was able to enrich herself with a five-digit euro sum. In addition, the subsidized residence was misused because the accused did not actually live in Tyrol but in Germany," the investigators said.

The apartment was also used alternately as a vacation home by her husband and her relatives.