A Bulgarian woman caught up in Britain’s largest-ever welfare scam has been ordered to repay every penny of her ill-gotten gains. Tsvetka Todorova, 54, was handed a three-year jail term in May 2024 for her part in the fraud that ripped off over £54million from UK taxpayers.
Scammer Pocketed Over £260k But Now Faces Payback
After serving just 18 months, Todorova was released and immediately began claiming benefits again. Investigators found she personally made £263,514 from the massive scheme. Despite her welfare claims, officials discovered her and her husband own a two-bedroom house in Bulgaria valued at £90,000.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is now reviewing the couple’s benefit entitlement. They’ve confirmed Todorova must pay back all she has received since her release.
Defiant Fraudster Refuses to Repay
Todorova refused to cough up. “We have a two-bedroom house in Bulgaria that the prosecution has valued at £90,000 but they can’t touch it,” she said. “We are married and the house is in both our names. My husband has no connection to the case.”
She added the family uses the Bulgarian property only for holidays. Todorova painted herself as the victim, claiming prison was “like a vacation” with perks like mani-pedis and hairdressing. Now she says both she and her husband are struggling with depression and health issues triggered by the case.
Gang Members Net a Total of 25 Years Behind Bars
Tsvetka Todorova wasn’t alone in the fraud. Alongside her, Galina Nikolova, Gyunesh Ali, Patritsia Paneva, and Stoyan Stoyanov received jail sentences totalling 25 years at Wood Green Crown Court in 2024.
