Deidre Hynes, 51, has been ordered to pay back more than £30,000 following what a judge described as one of the worst cases of fraud ever committed against the council.
Hynes, who owned two properties, a boat and substantial stocks and shares, pleaded guilty to 11 counts of making false representation at Croydon Crown Court on March 30.
The court heard Hynes also falsely claimed £6 each week from a housing budget set aside for people in desperate need of financial help.
Council officers began investigating the 51-year-old after discovering she was depositing thousands of pounds into an undeclared bank account while claiming housing benefit.
They discovered her offences dated back to 1996, when she completed housing benefit forms saying she was claiming income support.
She continued her claims following subsequent house moves in 1998 and 1999 despite running several businesses, including a trading company exporting tea to Japan.
Confiscation proceedings have also been put in place, with restraints on bank accounts and the property she owns in the UK.
A hearing has been set for August 23.
- These people do it for the money. So hit them in the pocket. It was money that motivated them, and a financial penalty will help to deter them.
Benefit thieves should have to repay twice what they've stolen, and should not be eligible for any further benefits – including tax credits - until they have. A confiscation order should be automatic and immediate.
If you don't punish people who are convicted of an easy crime, the offence will continue to look attractive.
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