Cristan and Dorina Turbat Exposed for Fraudulently Claiming Over €114,000 in Social Welfare Payments
Cristan Turbat, 39, and his wife Dorina Turbat, 41, were convicted for fraudulently claiming over €114,000 in social welfare payments. The couple, residing in Moyglare Village, Maynooth, Kildare, engaged in elaborate deception from April 2017 to January 2019.
Details of the Fraudulent Scheme
Cristan worked under a false identity for a construction company owned by his brother-in-law, Michael McMahon. Meanwhile, Dorina applied for job seeker’s allowance under the pretense that her husband was unemployed. She also fraudulently collected working family payment and rent supplement.
Court Proceedings
At Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, the Turbats pleaded guilty to multiple charges each, stemming from a comprehensive indictment of over 570 offenses. The prosecution included:
- Cristan: 10 charges of theft from the Department of Social Protection and one of making a false statement.
- Dorina: 10 similar charges and one false statement charge.
These admissions were accepted by the Director of Public Prosecutions, allowing the case to proceed based on full disclosure of facts.
Evidence and Investigation
An investigation was initiated after authorities received a tip-off. During a search of the Turbats’ residence, Gardaí discovered €21,350 in cash, which is subject to confiscation. Evidence also linked Cristan to clients who identified him as a worker during home renovations.
Dorina attempted to evade the investigation, initially failing to appear at the Garda station. She was later extradited from Romania under a European Arrest warrant.
Punishment and Restitution
The court heard that deductions of €97 per week from the Turbats’ wages have been implemented since September to repay the fraudulently claimed sums. The case against Michael McMahon, who was previously sentenced to a suspended 14-month term for aiding the couple, also included a repayment of over €55,000 for job seeker’s allowance he facilitated.
Final Sentencing
Judge Martin Nolan addressed the couple’s actions, highlighting their premeditated and deceitful scheme. Although he recognized their cooperation with the investigation and lack of prior convictions, he emphasized that consequences were necessary. Each received an 18-month prison sentence, reduced from an original three-year term, due to mitigating factors including their remorse and acceptance of guilt.
Both Cristan and Dorina Turbat expressed intentions to repay the remaining balances owed to the State, signaling a desire to make amends for their actions.
