A man claimed more than £37,000 in benefits over four-and-a-half years by pretending to have no income.
In reality, Jalal Uddin received £220,000 in that period.
The money included rent from a property he was sub-letting while also claiming housing benefit for it.
Uddin (41), of Nottingham Road, Loughborough, appeared at Leicester Crown Court after an investigation by Charnwood Borough Council.
He admitted falsely claiming £37,590 of taxpayers' money and was given a suspended sentence.
The court heard Uddin had been claiming benefits legitimately in 2006, but between April 2007 and November 2011 he lied about his circumstances to get benefits he did not deserve.
The council began investigating Uddin after receiving a tip-off that he was sub-letting his home while claiming housing benefit.
He initially denied the allegation but later admitted he had been sub-letting.
Officers then uncovered the fact that Uddin was using different addresses and bank accounts into which a total of £220,000 had been deposited while he was claiming benefits.
Uddin pleaded guilty to two charges of failing to declare changes in circumstances.
He was given a 20-week jail sentence, suspended for two years, and ordered to do 300 hours of unpaid work.
Leicester Crown Court was told Uddin, who had no previous convictions, had been battling with a drink problem which led to him separating from his wife.
Uddin told the court that he was full of remorse, but was now back with his wife and four children and had once again become a devoted father.
The judge said that if it was not for references received from his family and the fact he was back with his wife, Uddin would have been jailed.
Councillor Jenny Bokor, of Charnwood Borough Council, said: "This prosecution is a shot across the bow of anyone who thinks they can get away with stealing from the public purse.
"Benefits are for those who are in genuine need, not those who deliberately set out to commit fraud.
"It is simply not fair on taxpayers who have to subsidise this type of crime.
"Benefit fraud is an extremely serious offence and we continue to investigate and prosecute offenders."
