Mar 12, 2012

Conn. fires 27 state workers for alleged storm aid fraud

By Michael Winter, USA TODAY Updated 2h 25m ago

An investigation into fraud involving emergency storm aid has resulted in 27 Connecticut state workers being fired, five resigning and 10 retiring early, the governor's office announced today.

The probe of federal aid issued after Tropical Storm Irene pounded the Northeast in August has examined 1,053 public employees so far, with 685 workers being cleared of wrongdoing, said Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, a Democrat. The 42 workers involved today could be prosecuted, though no charges have been filed yet, according to The Hartford Courant.

In January, governor announced that four workers had been fired and four retired.

To date, 128 workers who applied for storm aid are under administrative review, and officials are reviewing an additional 240 applications submitted by state employees.

Malloy's administration says workers falsified their financial information when they sought benefits under the federal Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which is known as D-SNAP. Instead of actual food stamps, recipients receive debit cards that could be used for food or other storm-related expenses such as property repairs and temporary housing.

"While this is certainly not something anyone should take joy in, the people of Connecticut should know we are serious about running a government that honestly serves them," Molloy said in a statement. "We will continue with this investigation until we have taken appropriate action against any employee that knowingly defrauded this federal program."

Some fired workers or others facing discipline are appealing, claiming that the applications were unclear or that they received bad advice, according to union representatives and lawyers. The workers who retired will collect their pensions.

Conn. fires 27 state workers for alleged storm aid fraud