Social Development Minister Donna Cox says there was collusion between Ministry employees and supermarkets to cash cheques belonging to deceased clients.

The revelation came as she contributed to the budget debate in the Parliament this afternoon.

She said investigations are continuing into such incidents of fraud.

Ms Cox said 123 cases of fraud were identified from 2021 to 2023.

These cases involved cashing cheques at supermarkets, the use of duplicate birth certificates to access grants, persons receiving grants while residing abroad, and ghost beneficiaries on the payroll.

Responding to Ms Cox, Chaguanas East MP Vandana Mohit criticized the Ministry for a lack of safeguards and failing to prevent such fraudulent incidents.