Partick man jailed for claiming benefits while having hundred of thousands in undisclosed accounts
Sahin Lim, who is originally from Turkey claimed £40,000, but told authorities he didn't like to travel, but took 839 flights over 9 years
A dad who told the authorities who paid his £40,000 benefits he didn't like to travel but took 839 flights over nine years, has been jailed for 22months. Sahin Lim, 61, had five undeclared bank accounts that hundreds of thousands of pounds went in and out of.
He benefited by having international flights paid for him to countries including Australia, America, Thailand and Ecuador.
The Department for Work and Pensions later learned that over the period of the charges, £426,625 went in to his undeclared accounts, and £423,436 left again.
Lim, from Partick, Glasgow, pled guilty to receiving £16,491 income support, employment support allowance and jobseekers allowance, between April 1, 2005 and May 9, 2014.
And, between April 25, 2005 and April 21, 2015 to receiving a total of £23,508 for housing and council tax benefit, all without declaring a change of circumstances.
Passing sentence Sheriff Joseph Platt said: “I accept the circumstances in respect of this offence are unusual.”
He said: “You personally took 839 flights. If these were paid for by people who you were assisting, I accept the benefit to you is not the sum going through the bank accounts.
“Nonetheless this must’ve been a considerable benefit to you if these flights were indeed paid for by others.”
Lim unsuccessfully tried to sue airline Thomas Cook after being taken off a plane from Turkey for extra security checks.
Glasgow Sheriff Court earlier heard Lim has been receiving some means tested benefits since April 2002 and others since 2010.
When applying for them he claimed he had savings of around £200 between two bank accounts.
Procurator fiscal depute Richard Hill said: “Over the period of the charges, Lim received numerous information leaflets informing him of the requirement to inform authorities if there was a change in personal circumstances including any changes to money coming in or any other sources of income not declared.
“During the period of the charges, Lim completed 45 forms and applications where he failed to declare a change of circumstances.”
He was spoken to on the phone in May 2010, June 2011, August 2012 and August 2013 and on each occasion claimed he had no savings, no other money in any other bank accounts and no other income.
Mr Hill said: “During this period, Lim completed several medical assessment forms in relation to his employment support allowance claim.
“Within the forms the accused stated he would only go outdoors if he had an appointment, that he did not like going outdoors alone, spends the majority of his time in his house and does not like travelling.”
In June 2012 DWP received information that Lim had large sums of cash and was travelling abroad extensively, while claiming benefits.
Mr Hill added: “Investigations were carried out and it was established he had five undeclared bank accounts.
“It was established that during the period of the libel £426,625 entered these accounts and £423,436 left the accounts.”
The court heard that the accounts received substantial payments of up to £14,900 but funds were either withdrawn or transferred within days.
Lim took 839 international flights during the period between April 2005 and May 2014.
He paid for a substantial number of flights but many were not in his name and he was not the named passenger.
Defence lawyer Ryan Sloan said: “Mr Lim is a prominent member of the Turkish community in Glasgow.
“His position is that over the period of the charges he was repeatedly entrusted by other parties to carry out financial transactions on their behalf.
“The only benefit he would receive would be in the purchase of his flights.
“He accepted that all of this money has been going through these accounts.”
Mr Sloan added that Lim accepts that although the money “moving through” his accounts was not income, it should have been declared.
It was reported last May that Lim, originally from Turkey, intended to sue Thomas Cook after being taken off of a plane to Manchester for allegedly “making gestures” to another Muslim man.
The men had to go through further security checks before being allowed back on the plane at Izmir airport.
Lim’s bid to take the travel agent to court was unsuccessful.