About the The London Boroughs' Fraud Investigators' Group (LBFIG)
The purpose of LBFIG is to disseminate best practice, discuss cross boundary fraud and generally represent the interests of local authority fraud investigators in London.
All 33 London Boroughs have active anti-fraud teams and all are represented at LBFIG. Other not-for-profit public sector bodies such as housing associations can apply for affiliate membership. For membership queries please contact info@lbfig.org
The Executive Committee
Chris Keesing has Chaired LBFIG since 2020, he has over 20 years’ experience of tackling fraud in the public sector, both in local government and the Civil Service.
For the past 16 years, he has led the counter fraud and investigation response for the City of London Corporation as its Counter Fraud & Investigations Manager.
An accomplished speaker he has presented at national conferences and regional forums. He also works closely with the Fighting Fraud & Corruption Locally committee and other regional industry groups. Chris was instrumental in championing the NFI London Fraud Hub, with over two thirds of London Boroughs now signed-up.
Chris Keesing
Chair
Andy is the Shared Service Head of Fraud for the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, Westminster City Council and the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. He heads up the Corporate Anti-Fraud Service across all three authorities, responsible for fraud prevention, detection, and deterrent.
Andy has worked in the fraud arena for almost 30 years. He is a board member of the National Anti-Fraud Network (NAFN) as well as an executive member and former Chair of the London Borough Fraud Investigators Group (LBFIG).
Andy has also provided expertise in subject matter for television, including BBC’s Panorama, Inside Out and ITN News.
Andy Hyatt
Committee Member
Michael is the Head of the Counter Fraud Shared Service incorporating investigation teams for both Lambeth and Croydon. He is responsible for counter fraud activity for both councils covering, prevention, detection, investigation and recovery of losses.
He has been employed in counter fraud work since the 1990’s, managing teams in several local authorities. He has been employed by Lambeth Council since 2009.
Michael is treasurer for LBFIG and chairs the Cifas working group for local authorities.
Michael O'Reilly
Committee Member
Jamie is currently employed by the London Borough of Waltham Forest as a Corporate Anti-Fraud Manager. He has worked for several London Local Authorities and a G15 Social Housing Provider and has over 25 years investigative experience including leading investigation teams.
He has an excellent understanding of complex reactive and proactive criminal and civil investigations. His work has focused relentlessly on the protection of public funds, both by the implementation of preventative measures, and the rigorous detection and prosecution of those seeking to defraud the public sector, including high levels of recovery of public housing stock, prevention of fraudulent succession and right-to-buy applications, and corporate/insider fraud cases.
Jamie Branch
Vice Chair
Michael is the Counter Fraud Manager at the London Borough of Brent. He is responsible for the council’s operational and strategic response to prevent and detect fraud.
Michael has been part of the trailblazer group that delivered the GCFP Counter Fraud Apprenticeship standard and also part of first successful local authority group application to join membership of the Government Counter Fraud Profession.
He is an executive member of the London Boroughs’ Fraud Investigation Group (LBFIG) and a Cifas Learning Advisory Board Member that supports the development of their Fraud and Cyber Academy learning programme.
Michael Cassel
Committee Member
Stephanie sits on the Executive Board for the London Boroughs’ Fraud Investigators’ Group. She is also a founding member and Vice Chair of the Tenancy Fraud Forum and heads up the Housing Investigations Team for Islington Council.
With over 15 years' experience in addressing tenancy fraud, Steph is a known specialist in her field. She has provided assistance to over 150 social housing providers on tenancy fraud, provided training, wrote guidance documents and advised on the creation of PoSHFA. Steph was also instrumental in pursuing and obtaining a landmark Norwich Pharmacal Order against Airbnb to obtain data from them regarding tenancy fraud.
Stephanie Toghill
Committee Member
Jola is a Senior Investigator working for the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham within Counter Fraud, Assurance Group.
She supervises a team of 4 investigators and 1 intelligence officer, dealing with both internal and external fraud including housing, corporate and staff fraud, as well as criminal and proactive investigations.
She is also an Accredited Financial Investigator with Proceeds of Crime Act powers including banking enquiries and account freezing/forfeiture.
Prior to joining the council, Jola worked for the Metropolitan Police as a Detective Constable in the Economic Crime Unit dealing with serious and complex fraud and money laundering offences.
Jola Adeyemo
Committee Member
Laura is the Counter Fraud Manager for the Housing Investigations Unit at London Borough of Hillingdon.
She has over 18 years’ experience of working within social housing and the fraud industry, covering all types of housing fraud, social care fraud and internal matters.
She currently manages a team of investigators and officers, who work proactively to prevent and detect housing fraud, in order to protect public funds.
Laura has been a member of the LBFIG Exec committee since 2020.
Laura Piggott
Committee Member
Paul has investigated benefit claims for many years for many local authorities in London. He now conducts due diligence on right to buy applications.
Paul also setup the link with the banks and National Hunter to combat mortgage fraud. This concept won a TECA award for the best collaboration (with National Hunter and NAFN ) in November 2019.
This link up has also been used to combat Covid Grant fraud, nearly 150 Local Authorities have saved over £15 million.
Paul also assisted in getting the SRA to rewrite their procedures and is an active member of the LBFIG committee.
Paul Allen
Committee Member
Ben has sat on the Executive Board of LBFIG for over 15 years, taking on the role of Secretary for more than five years now. Ben is forward thinking and is proud to contribute ideas, share best practice and identify changing trends and emerging developments in the sector. Ben brings a positive drive to LBFIG and plays an active role in helping run events and support other members.
With over 25 years fighting fraud in local government, Ben currently leads a team of professional investigators for the newly formed Counter Fraud Shared Service across the London Boroughs of Lambeth and Croydon.
Ben Marshall
Committee Member
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Chris Keesing | ChairChris Keesing has Chaired LBFIG since 2020, he has over 20 years’ experience of tackling fraud in the public sector, both in local government and the Civil Service. For the past 16 years, he has led the counter fraud and investigation response for the City of London Corporation as its Counter Fraud & Investigations Manager. An accomplished speaker he has presented at national conferences and regional forums. He also works closely with the Fighting Fraud & Corruption Locally committee and other regional industry groups. Chris was instrumental in championing the NFI London Fraud Hub, with over two thirds of London Boroughs now signed-up.
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Jamie Branch | Vice ChairJamie is currently employed by the London Borough of Waltham Forest as a Corporate Anti-Fraud Manager. He has worked for several London Local Authorities and a G15 Social Housing Provider and has over 25 years investigative experience including leading investigation teams. He has an excellent understanding of complex reactive and proactive criminal and civil investigations. His work has focused relentlessly on the protection of public funds, both by the implementation of preventative measures, and the rigorous detection and prosecution of those seeking to defraud the public sector, including high levels of recovery of public housing stock, prevention of fraudulent succession and right-to-buy applications, and corporate/insider fraud cases.
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Stephanie Toghill | Committee MemberStephanie sits on the Executive Board for the London Boroughs’ Fraud Investigators’ Group. She is also a founding member and Vice Chair of the Tenancy Fraud Forum and heads up the Housing Investigations Team for Islington Council. With over 15 years' experience in addressing tenancy fraud, Steph is a known specialist in her field. She has provided assistance to over 150 social housing providers on tenancy fraud, provided training, wrote guidance documents and advised on the creation of PoSHFA. Steph was also instrumental in pursuing and obtaining a landmark Norwich Pharmacal Order against Airbnb to obtain data from them regarding tenancy fraud.
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Michael Cassel | Committee MemberMichael is the Counter Fraud Manager at the London Borough of Brent. He is responsible for the council’s operational and strategic response to prevent and detect fraud. Michael has been part of the trailblazer group that delivered the GCFP Counter Fraud Apprenticeship standard and also part of first successful local authority group application to join membership of the Government Counter Fraud Profession. He is an executive member of the London Boroughs’ Fraud Investigation Group (LBFIG) and a Cifas Learning Advisory Board Member that supports the development of their Fraud and Cyber Academy learning programme.
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Andy Hyatt | Committee MemberAndy is the Shared Service Head of Fraud for the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, Westminster City Council and the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. He heads up the Corporate Anti-Fraud Service across all three authorities, responsible for fraud prevention, detection, and deterrent. Andy has worked in the fraud arena for almost 30 years. He is a board member of the National Anti-Fraud Network (NAFN) as well as an executive member and former Chair of the London Borough Fraud Investigators Group (LBFIG). Andy has also provided expertise in subject matter for television, including BBC’s Panorama, Inside Out and ITN News.
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Michael O'Reilly | Committee MemberMichael is the manager of the Counter Fraud Shared Service incorporating investigation teams for both Lambeth and Croydon. He is responsible for counter fraud activity for both councils covering, prevention, detection, investigation and recovery of losses. He has been employed in counter fraud work since the 1990’s, managing teams in several local authorities. He has been employed by Lambeth Council since 2009. Michael is treasurer for LBFIG and chairs the Cifas working group for local authorities.
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Paul Allen | Committee MemberPaul has investigated benefit claims for many years for local authorities both sides of the river. He now conducts due diligence on right to buy applications. Paul also set up the link with the banks and National Hunter to combat mortgage fraud. This concept won a TECA award for the best collaboration (with National Hunter and NAFN ) in November 2019. This link up has also been used to combat Covid Grant fraud, nearly 150 Local Authorities have saved over £15 million. Paul also assisted in getting the SRA to rewrite their procedures and is an active member of the LBFIG committee.
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Laura Piggott | Committee MemberLaura is the Counter Fraud Manager for the Housing Investigations Unit at London Borough of Hillingdon. She has over 18 years’ experience of working within social housing and the fraud industry, covering all types of housing fraud, social care fraud and internal matters. She currently manages a team of investigators and officers, who work proactively to prevent and detect housing fraud, in order to protect public funds. Laura has been a member of the LBFIG Exec committee since 2020.
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Ben Marshall | Committee MemberBen has sat on the Executive Board of LBFIG for over 15 years, taking on the role of Secretary for more than five years now. Ben is forward thinking and is proud to contribute ideas, share best practice and identify changing trends and emerging developments in the sector. Ben brings a positive drive to LBFIG and plays an active role in helping run events and support other members. With over 25 years fighting fraud in local government, Ben currently leads a team of professional investigators for the newly formed Counter Fraud Shared Service across the London Boroughs of Lambeth and Croydon.
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