A man who attempted to exploit the Grenfell Tower disaster by stealing the identity of a genuine local resident to claim emergency support payments has been jailed for three and a half years.
Adam Mejri, 46, a Tunisian national, was sentenced to 42 months’ imprisonment at Southwark Crown Court after pleading guilty to a series of fraud offences linked to the Grenfell support scheme.
The court heard that Mejri targeted an abandoned flat in the area surrounding Grenfell Tower following the devastating 2017 fire, which claimed 72 lives.
Stole resident’s identity
Prosecutors said the flat belonged to Munir Altaib, a legitimate resident who lived within the designated Grenfell support zone.
Mejri entered the vacant property, discovered personal documents belonging to Altaib and used them to impersonate him in an attempt to access financial assistance intended for survivors and affected residents.
Using the stolen identity, Mejri approached the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC), falsely claiming he had been displaced by the Grenfell Tower fire and was entitled to emergency financial support.
The court heard he claimed to have lived at Altaib’s address, alleged he had lost his home in the aftermath of the disaster and attempted to obtain thousands of pounds in emergency funding, along with additional support services reserved for verified residents.
Fraud uncovered
RBKC staff became suspicious after discrepancies emerged during routine verification checks.
Officials quickly established that Mejri had no connection to the address, the property or the Grenfell community before alerting police.
Investigators found that:
- Mejri had never lived at the address.
- He had no legal or personal connection to Munir Altaib.
- He had used stolen documents to support his fraudulent application.
- The vacant flat had been exploited to facilitate the deception.
Detectives described the offending as a calculated attempt to profit from one of the UK’s worst peacetime disasters.
Jailed for 42 months
Mejri admitted offences including fraud by false representation, identity theft and possession of articles for use in fraud.
Sentencing him to 42 months in prison, the court recognised the serious impact such offending has on survivors and families still affected by the Grenfell Tower tragedy.
Authorities said they remain committed to investigating anyone who attempts to exploit the disaster for financial gain, warning that fraud against schemes established to support victims will be met with robust enforcement.
