A couple has been accused of selling counterfeit clothing and footwear while receiving €40,000 in state handouts over five years.
The pair of market traders also paid in €1.7 million into three bank accounts while duping social security staff that they were penniless.
The counterfeit clothing and shoes were sold at fairs in Castelo Branco, Guarda, Coimbra, Fundão, Portalegre and in Spain.
Over a five year period to 2105, the couple, aged 43 and 36, tunred over €1.7 million from their illicit business, foolishly paying suppliers by cheque.
They now are on trial in Castelo Branco with the State demanding the return of the €40,000, plus the €1.7 million they had banked from selling counterfeit goods.
The greedy pair declared themselves to be in serious financial straits and Social Security staff awarded them the Minimum Guaranteed Income and later, further income support.
Over the years, Social Security staff did not spot the couple’s millionaire status, hampered by frequent changes of address.
The pair obviously did not state the amount they had in the bank when applying for State aid, so the taxpayer funded them to the tune of €40,000 over three years.
When their home was searched, thousands of items of counterfeit clothing and footwear were discovered and they were charged with fraud involving merchandise, sale, circulation or concealment of goods or articles, qualified tax fraud, money laundering, tax fraud and keeping a prohibited weapon.