Bulgarian woman jailed for £54m benefits scam is BACK ON Universal Credit after serving just half her sentence

From the Newshound archive · first published 27 September 2026 · last updated 28 September 2026.

Tsvetka Todorova, 54, who personally pocketed £263,514 as part of Britain's largest-ever benefit fraud prosecution, was released in late 2025 having served half of a three-year sentence and has been claiming benefits since December. The Crown Prosecution Service confirmed enforcement is ongoing, but Todorova has not been returned to custody.

Todorova told reporters 'I love it here, it is good' — her husband receives over £1,000 a month in Universal Credit.

She and four other Bulgarians ran three 'benefits factories' in London, lodging thousands of false claims using forged documents between 2016 and 2021.

Todorova faces deportation and could be recalled to prison for non-compliance with the confiscation order, but remains free in the UK.