Serious housing fraud uncovered at Central Bedfordshire Council
Friday, 24 April 2026
Former council employee given 16-month suspended sentence for £39,812 housing fraud after manipulating systems and diverting funds.
A former council employee, Kanyin Jolaosho, formerly of Carroll Drive, Bedford, pleaded guilty to 13 counts of housing‑related fraud, committed over the course of his employment, involving losses totalling £39,812.85.
Jolaosho appeared at Luton Crown Court where he was sentenced to 16 months imprisonment, suspended for 18 months, and ordered to pay costs of £3,850. He also received 200 hours unpaid work and 20 Rehabilitation Activity Requirement days. His actions were described as ‘despicable’ by the judge.
The case was referred to the Council’s Fraud Team after staff concerns were raised about Jolaosho’s activities whilst undertaking his job as a Senior Housing Officer, often dealing with vulnerable homeless people.
Investigators discovered that Jolaosho manipulated council systems and processes to undertake the frauds, which included diverting tenants’ rent payments that were due to be paid to the council, diverting tenants’ deposits and a fake landlord incentive payment.
The Council are also pursuing recovery action to reclaim the stolen funds. Affected tenants and landlords have not been left out of pocket, with swift action taken to replace any identified losses.
Following the investigation the Council has conducted a rigorous review of processes put in place to prevent fraud.
Cllr John Baker, Executive Member for Finance, said:
The Council takes any fraud extremely seriously. These offences represented a serious abuse of position and a breach of the trust placed in council staff. Importantly, swift action was taken to ensure no tenant or landlord was out of pocket and funds were repaid.