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Rogue Traders presenter wanted by police over benefit fraud charges | Rogue Traders presenter wanted by police over benefit fraud charges |
(40 minutes later) | |
One of the stars of the BBC consumer series Rogue Traders is being sought by police over allegations of benefit and council tax fraud. | One of the stars of the BBC consumer series Rogue Traders is being sought by police over allegations of benefit and council tax fraud. |
Dan Penteado, who chases down bogus workmen with the presenter Matt Allwright in the Rogue Traders part of consumer show Watchdog, has been charged with fraud. | Dan Penteado, who chases down bogus workmen with the presenter Matt Allwright in the Rogue Traders part of consumer show Watchdog, has been charged with fraud. |
He is accused of claiming more than £24,000 of government payouts he was not entitled to while he worked for the BBC. | He is accused of claiming more than £24,000 of government payouts he was not entitled to while he worked for the BBC. |
Penteado, 40, from Bournemouth, Dorset, has not responded to letters sent to him by Bournemouth borough council and was sent a court summons to appear before Bournemouth magistrates court on Wednesday. | |
When he failed to turn up at court a warrant was issued for his arrest. | When he failed to turn up at court a warrant was issued for his arrest. |
Dorset police confirmed they were making enquiries to trace Penteado. | Dorset police confirmed they were making enquiries to trace Penteado. |
Johanne McNamara, prosecuting for Bournemouth borough council, told magistrates that Penteado, a private investigator, had stated he was a student to claim the benefits from 2008 to 2012. | Johanne McNamara, prosecuting for Bournemouth borough council, told magistrates that Penteado, a private investigator, had stated he was a student to claim the benefits from 2008 to 2012. |
"Mr Penteado was claiming housing benefit and council tax benefit on the basis that he was a full-time student with a family; he received benefit on that basis," she said. | |
"Over a period of time his position has changed. He was actually employed on BBC's Rogue Traders programme as a motorbike rider. | |
"There are a number of offences. Some relate to failing to disclose a bank account which his wages were paid into, others relate to failing to notify a change in his circumstances when he was hired by the BBC." | "There are a number of offences. Some relate to failing to disclose a bank account which his wages were paid into, others relate to failing to notify a change in his circumstances when he was hired by the BBC." |
She told the court that his BBC wages varied from year to year. | She told the court that his BBC wages varied from year to year. |
McNamara said that in 2008 he was paid more than £16,000 by the BBC and between July 2009 to March 2012 he received more than £15,000. | McNamara said that in 2008 he was paid more than £16,000 by the BBC and between July 2009 to March 2012 he received more than £15,000. |
Penteado then received a further £18,000 for work done between July 2010 and January 2011 and more than £6,000 for work done between May and December 2011. | Penteado then received a further £18,000 for work done between July 2010 and January 2011 and more than £6,000 for work done between May and December 2011. |
McNamara told the court Penteado had been overpaid £24,077.60 in housing and council tax benefit that he would not have been entitled to if he had declared his BBC work. | |
Bournemouth borough council had tried on three occasions to invite Penteado in to speak to him about his case before it went to court. | Bournemouth borough council had tried on three occasions to invite Penteado in to speak to him about his case before it went to court. |
He faces 10 counts of benefit fraud. | He faces 10 counts of benefit fraud. |
A spokesman for Dorset police said: "We can confirm that an arrest warrant has been issued for Mr Penteado over allegations of benefit fraud. | A spokesman for Dorset police said: "We can confirm that an arrest warrant has been issued for Mr Penteado over allegations of benefit fraud. |
"It will go to our warrants' department as a normal investigation so we can try and serve it as soon as possible. We will obviously look to try and find out where he is." | "It will go to our warrants' department as a normal investigation so we can try and serve it as soon as possible. We will obviously look to try and find out where he is." |
According to the BBC website, Portuguese-born Penteado started working with Allwright in 2001 and has been an integral part of Rogue Traders and Watchdog since then. | According to the BBC website, Portuguese-born Penteado started working with Allwright in 2001 and has been an integral part of Rogue Traders and Watchdog since then. |
In the last series of Rogue Traders, he and Allwright confronted eight business owners they felt were ripping off the public. When not working on Rogue Traders, Penteado works as a private investigator in the UK and abroad. | In the last series of Rogue Traders, he and Allwright confronted eight business owners they felt were ripping off the public. When not working on Rogue Traders, Penteado works as a private investigator in the UK and abroad. |
A BBC spokesman said: "There has been contact between us and Dan Penteado but because this is a private matter and a court case we are not commenting." |
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