Foster Care Fraudster Jailed for Squandering over £128k of Council Cash
South Croydon Woman Busted for Council Scam
Stephanie Standen, 30, of Benhurst Gardens, South Croydon, has been locked up for four years after stealing a staggering £128,067 from Croydon Council. The fraud came to light at Croydon Crown Court on Wednesday, 26 February, where Standen admitted to ripping off public funds meant to support vulnerable foster children.
The Inside Job: How She Pulled Off the Swindle
Standen had trusted access to the council’s electronic payment system, used for paying foster care service providers. Between September 2016 and September 2017, she cooked up false records of bogus foster service providers, inserting real bank details linked to herself and her mates.
This deceit funnelled £128,067 straight into private accounts, with Standen personally pocketing £64,628. All the stolen cash was spent before her April 2018 arrest. She denied all involvement at first, but caved and pleaded guilty just days before the trial.
Gang of Accomplices Nabbed and Sentenced
Standen’s cronies also took a hit. They received money laundered from the scam and faced justice between April and June 2018:
- George Sharpless, 25 – got £11,000; sentenced to 18 months suspended.
- Simeon Brown, 39 – £9,528; handed 120 hours of unpaid work plus £2,000 compensation.
- Hollie West, 31 – £11,884; 18 months suspended sentence.
- Sonny Veerasawmy, 31 – £16,150; 18 months suspended plus £6,000 compensation.
- Steven Little, 33 – £4,150; 100 hours unpaid work and ordered to pay back £4,150.
Detective Rips Into Standen’s Betrayal
“The loss of more than £128,000 to Croydon Council had a significant impact on services for children who required care from the fostering budget. The loss meant that children who needed services were not able to be provided with them as there were insufficient funds in the budget following the fraud,” said Detective Constable Simon Allen, lead investigator.
“Standen was in a position of trust and nobody could have predicted how she would have abused this. She had no previous convictions and blamed her behaviour on an extensive drug habit.
“I would like to thank Croydon Council who provided assistance and support throughout the investigation.”
