Thread: Maserati owner arrested in CA. welfare fraud sweep

Maserati owner arrested in welfare fraud sweep [Updated]

May 28, 2010 | 11:57 am

A Cerritos woman was due in court Friday after being arrested in a massive welfare fraud sweep for receiving more than $60,000 in welfare benefits while allegedly concealing her ownership of a business, home and Maserati sports car. [Updated 12:33 p.m.: An earlier version of this post said the benefits were worth more than $200,000.]

Tangela Ridgeway, 35, was arrested earlier this week with eight other alleged welfare scammers. She is charged with 16 counts of welfare fraud, including aid by misrepresentation and perjury by false application for aid, and 14 counts of perjury by declaration, according to the Los Angeles County district attorney's office.

Ridgeway is accused of failing to disclose that she owned a business, property and several vehicles. Investigators seized her 2006 Maserati and Nissan SUV and discovered large amounts of unreported income and bank accounts, according to prosecutors.

Ridgeway, whose bail is $395,000, faces a maximum term of 19 years in state prison if convicted.

Another of those arrested and charged, Alicia Garcia, 51, also is accused of major fraud. She was charged with one count of false statements to receive healthcare, three counts of aid by misrepresentation and four counts of perjury by false application for aid.
Garcia allegedly received more than $136,000 in public assistance benefits from January 2002 to April 2010. During the time she claimed benefits, Garcia allegedly failed to report her real income, ownership of property, vehicles and bank accounts and also failed to report a spouse in the home.

Garcia is being held on $45,000 bail. If convicted as charged, she faces a maximum state prison term of nine years.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2 ... sweep.html

Warrant sweep leads to 9 welfare fraud arrests

May 21, 2010 10:00 AM
THE RECORDER

Investigators from the Tulare County District Attorney’s Office conducted a warrant sweep of suspects wanted in connection with alleged welfare fraud on Monday, May 17. During the operation, nine felony arrest warrants were served. The suspects were booked into the Tulare County Jail.

- Julie Hergesheimer of Springville, alleged fraud amount, $1,455

- Rose Hernandez of Dinuba, alleged fraud amount, $2,634

- Maria Molina of Exeter, alleged fraud amount, $1,351

- Delia Alvarez of Visalia, alleged fraud amount, $12,214

The following person was arrested for failure to comply with the terms of probation on his previous welfare fraud conviction.

- Alex Chavez of Tulare

Additionally, four other people who were receiving benefits were arrested at their residences for outstanding felony warrants (unrelated to welfare fraud) with a combined bail of $145,000. Their welfare benefits will be terminated due to their arrests.

Investigators from the Tulare County District Attorney’s Office will continue investigating all allegations of Welfare Fraud and additional arrests are pending.

http://www.recorderonline.com/articles/ ... rests.html

This rampant fraud has to be an inside job with the social services departments state wide, thanks to affirmative action.

Welfare fraud

Welfare fraud can be quite extensive. In every U.S. state, the penalty for extensive welfare fraud (fraud over a period of years) is prison. ...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welfare_fraud