Fraud Squad

Trading Standards uncover a massive illegal puppy farm where animals are being used to make tens of thousands of pounds, not a penny of which is declared to the tax authorities. It all starts when the Trading Standards team in Caerphilly respond to calls from concerned neighbours about the number of dogs being kept in a house. Trading Standards contact the owner, who admits she has ten dogs but insists she's not using them for commercial breeding. But the neighbours keep on reporting their concerns. And when Trading Standards manage to get inside the house, they can't believe their eyes. The house is full of puppies being kept in disgusting conditions. When they start to investigate, they find the three women who live in the house are advertising puppies for sale and have sold 125 puppies from 31 litters in just two years. It's a huge animal welfare issue, but the women are also operating without any of the proper licences and without declaring a penny of the tens of thousands of pounds they're making to the tax authorities. In our second story, an NHS finance manager finds a way to raise fake invoices, which enable him to transfer money into his own bank accounts. His fraud is so successful that he manages to steal more than half a million pounds from the NHS - money that should be going to patient care.