Thread: NEW YORK POLICE ARREST 42 OVER $642K IN ALLEGED WELFARE FRAUD

NEW YORK POLICE ARREST 42 OVER $642K IN ALLEGED WELFARE FRAUD
by WARNER TODD HUSTON
Mar 2014

On March 28, Onondaga County New York Sheriffs announced the arrests of 42 people accused of defrauding the state of some $624,000 in welfare benefits.

Syracuse resident Sharena Taylor stands accused of stealing the greatest amount, $71,441.01. Two others are accused of stealing more than $30,000 and four more are said to have taken over $20,000 each. 42 people in all were arrested.

"There are few frauds more egregious than people who apply for and use public assistance benefits when they are not eligible," District Attorney William Fitzpatrick told the media. "They are not only stealing from tax paying citizens, they hurt those who truly need public assistance."

The raids on the homes of the 42 individuals were carried out by a joint force consisting of the county sheriffs, the Department of Social Services, and the state District Attorney's office, along with participation from the New York State Police as well as officers from the cities of Syracuse, Manlius, Geddes, Camillus, Solvay, East Syracuse, and DeWitt.

A list of the 40 people arrested as well as the amount they are accused of stealing was published by The Syracuse Post-Standard:

Sharena Taylor, of Syracuse: $71,441.01
Tuyetnga Nguyen, of Syracuse: $35,126.09
Kimberly Gomez, of Liverpool: $31,421.98
Liza Acquah, of Mattydale: $29,613.27
Fatma Afifi, of Geddes: $29,413.71
Sergey Shakhov, of Geddes: $24,277.00
Venus White, of Syracuse: $22,805.33
Jennifer Raphael and Damien White, of Kirkville: $18,096.85
Ann Smith, of Syracuse: $17,923.30
Michele Vedder, of East Syracuse: $15,890.54
Rachael Jordan, of Syracuse: $15,614.17
Beth Rathbun, of Syracuse: $15,139.93
Kelly McCullough, of Fayetteville: $15,033.88
Mary Aljamel, of Syracuse: $14,848.87
Gregory Roach, of Tully: $14,218.26
Lachelle Felder, of Syracuse: $14,018.46
Tyesheka Graves, of Syracuse: $13,912.06
Garfield Hector, of Syracuse: $13,546.24
Waldo Kent, Jr., of Syracuse: $13,481.93
Katie Vashchisin, of Geddes: $13,011.40
Lisann Hart, of Syracuse: $12,103.94
James Olsen, of Mattydale: $11,999.18
Latoya Jackson, of Dewitt: $11,841.39
Freddie Crawford, of Syracuse: $11,762.18
John and Laurie Briggs, of Camillus, $11,696.13
Theresa Alt, of North Syracuse: $11,099.00
Jillane Vann, of Memphis: $10,532.93
David and Amanda Fey, of Syracuse: $10,315.30
Sheri Cartner, of Syracuse: $9,864.75
Margaret Zreviec, of Jordan: $9,157.00
Sarah Testa, of Manlius: $8,869.60
Nathan Russell, of North Syracuse: $8,422.00
Omar Ahmed, of Syracuse: $8,390.00
Amanda Gianni, of Syracuse: $8,026.00
Patricia Hunter-Fox, of Syracuse: $7,889.00
Robin Dwyerterchowitz, of Syracuse: $7,790.00
Derrick Dudley, of Syracuse: $7,427.00
Lisa Dungey, of Syracuse: $7,230.32
Markeisha Frayer, of Solvay: $5,587.51
Peter Salmon, of Tully: $5,496.00

http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Governm...Welfare-System

This is all just the tip of the iceberg. I wonder if they got one of those interest free 7 year business loans....

Owners of Glendale market suspected of $2.3 million food stamp fraud





by Jennifer Thomas
Video report by Kristine Harrington
Posted on March 26, 2014 at 2:14 PM

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- The owners of a Glendale market are accused of engaging in $2.3 million of food stamp fraud following an undercover investigation.

The Nicben African Caribbean Market Plus near Bethany Home Road and 43rd Avenue has been under investigation for about three years. A multiagency task force raided the small store and the owners' home on Wednesday.

Investigators allege that on multiple occasions the retailer provided cash to individuals in exchange for food stamp benefits in fraudulent transactions.

"For instance, if they would charge 30 cents on the dollar then they would provide, for a $100 transaction, they would provide $70 to the recipient and $30 for themselves and then charge 100 percent of that transaction to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the food stamp program," said Department of Economic Security Director Clarence Carter.

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) card recipients are permitted to use benefits only for eligible food items. SNAP benefits cannot be exchanged or redeemed for cash.

"This retailer has engaged in a number of fraudulent acts, violations of program rules and of federal regulations and that includes things such as using the EBT card to provide cash back to a client, accepting the EBT card and redeeming it for the purchase of jewelry, for the purchase of phone cards and other things that are ineligible under the program guidelines," said Marcus Hambrick, inspector general of the Arizona DES.

Carter said the store was doing "a ton more SNAP business than a retailer of this size and design could ever potentially do."

Carter said it was the largest SNAP fraud case in Arizona history.

"Every dollar of this benefit was intended to help people with a basic subsistence of food in their lives," Carter said. "In this instance, $2.3 million was taken away from that so it is important to stop this kind of trafficking."

Bernard Le-Uh and Monica Le-Uh could face charges including fraudulent schemes and artifices, unlawful use of food stamps, money laundering, computer tampering, illegally conducting an enterprise and related offenses stemming from the investigation targeting illegal activities associated with the program.

Bernard Le-Uh told 3TV reporter Kristine Harrington that he did nothing wrong. At this time he and his wife have not been arrested.

Carter said 33 people who currently receive benefits will be investigated for possible SNAP fraud, which may result in administrative sanctions and/or criminal prosecutions.

The investigation comes after months of a coordinated undercover operation led by Internal Affairs and Special Operations staff within the Arizona Department of Economic Security, in coordination with the United States Department of Agriculture - Office of the Inspector General (USDA OIG), Glendale Police Department, and the Arizona Attorney General's Office.

http://www.azfamily.com/outbound-fee...252527081.html