Adam Mejri, 46, has been jailed for 42 months after assuming the identity of a man who had left the UK for Tunisia, illegally subletting his flat near Grenfell Tower, and attempting to claim more than £160,000 in benefits and disaster compensation intended for those affected by the 2017 fire.
A Tunisian man has been sentenced to 42 months in prison at Southwark Crown Court after stealing the identity of a former tenant to fraudulently claim benefits and compensation linked to the Grenfell Tower fire. Adam Mejri, 46, of Acton in west London, admitted two counts of welfare fraud and two of fraud by false representation, in a case investigated jointly by the Department for Work and Pensions and Kensington and Chelsea Council. The court heard he wept and begged for mercy as he was sentenced, telling the judge: “Please have mercy.”
Walking Into an Empty Flat and Assuming a Stranger’s Identity
The fraud centred on a flat on Hurstway Walk, near Grenfell Tower, which had been locked up by the local authority in 2018 after police discovered two illegal immigrants squatting inside. Prosecutor Laura Hollingbery told the court that on 1 March 2018, Mejri visited the local neighbourhood management office claiming to be Munir Altaib, the flat’s legitimate tenant, who had in fact left the UK for Tunisia a year earlier. “He said he had been in Manchester for the past fortnight and he allowed the two immigrants to stay there,” Hollingbery said.
Mejri went on to illegally sublet the property for £1,200 a month while posing as Altaib, claiming to have lost his passport around the time of the fire and instead supplying various documents in Altaib’s name to support his false identity.
Attempting to Profit From Grenfell Compensation
Because the flat sat close to Grenfell Tower, Mejri qualified under Altaib’s identity for £5,000 from the compensation fund established for victims of the 2017 fire, which killed 72 people. Hollingbery told the court: “Due to the close proximity of Mr Altaib’s property to Grenfell Tower, he qualified for compensation in the sum of £5,000 from the fund that had been created to support victims of the fire in 2017.” The payment was never made after officials grew suspicious about his identity and launched further checks. “The defendant regularly attended the offices and chased for payment of the compensation, however, due to concerns over his identity, compensation was never paid,” Hollingbery said.
Over £150,000 Claimed in Benefits
Beyond the attempted compensation claim, Mejri used Altaib’s identity to claim more than £50,000 in employment benefits and around £100,000 in housing benefits over the course of the fraud, which spanned more than a year. He repeatedly avoided appointments by claiming to be too physically and mentally unwell to attend or to work, but investigators found his missed appointments coincided with periods when he was abroad, including trips to Saudi Arabia uncovered through his Facebook account. On 4 September 2019, he finally attended a Job Centre appointment while already under police surveillance, and was arrested the same day after completing a self-certified health form listing depression and schizophrenia as his conditions.
The Real Victim Had Already Raised the Alarm
Days after Mejri’s arrest, the council discovered his name on the tenancy contract at Hurstway Walk once it became clear the flat was being illegally sublet. The court heard that the genuine tenant, Munir Altaib, had in fact tried to alert the council as early as April 2018, informing them he had left “Britain a year ago forever,” was “now resident in Tunisia,” and warning there was “someone who uses my name and my house for terrorist acts.” His early warning ultimately helped investigators unravel the fraud.
Judge Condemns ‘Despicable’ Exploitation of Grenfell Victims
Sentencing Mejri, who appeared in the dock wearing a black T-shirt and broke down as his sentence was handed down, Judge Neil Calver was scathing in his assessment of the fraud. “What you did was a despicable thing, taking advantage of those living and around Grenfell Tower,” he said. “I think you are a malingerer, playing up whatever mental health conditions that suits you. I have no doubt had you not been arrested, you would have been successful in your fraud and you had attempted to make a great deal of money. These offences show you are a thoroughly dishonest person who preys on the innocence and misfortune of others.”
Mejri has four previous convictions covering ten offences, most recently for three counts of shoplifting in 2016.
Officials Vow to Recover Stolen Funds
Following the sentencing, the government’s Minister for Transformation, Andrew Western, condemned the fraud as calculated and exploitative. “This was a shocking and calculated fraud from a brazen criminal who stole a victim’s identity, exploited public support systems, and even tried to profit from the tragedy of Grenfell,” he said. “I want to commend the investigators for their dedication to this complex case. This sends a clear message that anyone who seeks to divert money from those who genuinely need it will be found and held accountable.”
Richard Powell, Senior Crown Prosecutor for the CPS, added: “Mejri’s selfish actions took tens of thousands of pounds away from those who required genuine support and financial help. His web of lies and deceit came to a halt following a successful CPS prosecution and he will now face the prospect of having to pay back his illegal proceeds.” Authorities are expected to pursue proceeds of crime proceedings to recover the money obtained through the fraud, which formed part of a wider pattern of thousands of fraudulent claims made in the wake of the Grenfell Tower fire.
