Margaret Roberts: Centerlink Fraud lands Wagga woman in court

A Riverina woman is facing possible jail time after she defrauded the government from more than $100,000 in benefits over six years.

A Riverina woman has faced court after fraudulently claiming Centerlink benefits from the government to sustain her lifestyle and gambling addiction.

Margaret Roberts, 54, pleaded guilty to defrauding the Commonwealth through Centrelink benefit payments that she was not entitled to, totalling approximately $125,000 over six years.

A court has heard that between June 2012 and November 2018, Roberts received carer payments based on looking after her partner on a full-time basis.

Roberts was permitted to work 25 hours per week, however she worked a total of 75 hours per week meaning she was not able to provide care specified under the eligibility requirement and also she declared a nil income.

Margaret Roberts leaves Wagga Wagga District Court.

A Crown prosecutor told Wagga Wagga District Court following a data match, the ATO notified Roberts via a letter – and she did not cease the claims of her own volition.

Roberts has partially repaid the amount defrauded, about $14,000 which was largely involuntary repayments that started in March 2020.

The prosecutor is requesting the remaining amount - $111,262.29 - be repaid.

The court heard that at a prior appearance Roberts gave evidence, saying ‘I didn’t think it would come to this.’

“There was some uncertainty as to whether she fully comprehends the seriousness of the offence,” the Crown prosecutor told the court.

The Crown submitted that Roberts was receiving income from her employer to meet her needs but was supplementing her income to support her gambling addiction.

“A term of full-time imprisonment is the only appropriate sentence in this matter,” the prosecutor said.

Judge Gordon Lerve adjourned the matter to determine the sentence on September 15 at Wagga District Court.