An aristocrat fraudulently claimed £18,000 benefits from Kensington & Chelsea council while renting out her £1.1 million house to a string of tenants, a court heard.
Vienna-born Lady Vera-Brigitte Bilek Von Sternberg — known as “BB” to friends — is accused of keeping a bank account secret and passing off the people who paid her rent as friends or family members.
The freelance arts and performing arts critic from Notting Hill, who was referred to in court as Lady Von Sternberg, indicated not guilty pleas when she appeared at Hammersmith magistrates’ court yesterday.
The daughter of a former cultural attaché to the Middle East, Lady Von Sternberg moved to Chelsea in 1990 with her daughter Rebecca and became head of department at two educational establishments.
She is a member of Chelsea Old Church and has been elected to the boards of a number of charitable trusts as a fund-raising trustee.
The court heard all the money has been repaid to the local authority. Lady Von Sternberg is charged with two counts of fraud in relation to housing benefit and council tax benefit application.
She is also charged with false representation in relation to a benefit claim on the same property by telling the council she “never” had any subtenants, only visitors, guests, friends and members of her family and had no income except Pension Credit and Disability and Living Allowance.
Lady Von Sternberg also faces two counts of dishonestly failing to notify a change of circumstances.
She was bailed to appear at Isleworth crown court for a preliminary hearing on May 26.
