Thread: Rockland DA Announces Five Arrests For Welfare Fraud

Rockland DA Announces Five Arrests For Welfare Fraud

The arrests took place between September and Thursday.

By Lanning Taliaferro, Patch Staff |

Jan 26, 2018 2:40 pm ET | Updated Jan 26, 2018 10:06 pm ET

NEW CITY, NY — Five Rockland women are accused of welfare fraud, county District Attorney Thomas P. Zugibe announced Friday. He did not say whether their arrests, which took place over the past four months, were related.

He did say the arrests are the culmination of numerous joint investigations by the Special Investigations Unit in the DA's Office and the county's Department of Social Services' Special Investigations Unit.

"These defendants are accused of using deceit and fraud to feign a need for rent support and other public benefits. Taxpayer- subsidized assistance is intended to help the truly needy," Zugibe said. "Thanks to the diligent actions of investigators, the alleged free ride for these cheats is over."

Here are details about the five:

Jermika Depas (DOB 03/06/86) of 25 South Madison Ave., Spring Valley, has been indicted on:

• One count of Welfare Fraud in the Third Degree, a class "D" Felony
• Three counts of Criminal Possession of a Forged Instrument in the First Degree, class
• "E" Felonies
• Three counts of Offering a False Instrument for Filing in the First Degree, class "E" felonies

Depas was arrested on 01/25/18. She is accused of submitting false documents to the Department of Social Services claiming she was paying rent when, in fact, she was not. According to the charges, the defendant forged her landlord's signature on documents submitted to DSS. Depas received an overpayment in excess of $5,000 as a result of the alleged ruse.

Leah Bishop (DOB 05/77/88 of 41 Ewing Avenue, Apt. A1, Spring Valley, was arrested on 09/07/17 and charged with Offering a False Instrument for Filing in the First Degree. According to the charges, Bishop failed to report the full extent of her income to DSS and, as such, received an overpayment of benefits exceeding $7,000.

Carolyn McLean (DOB 02/22/55) of 94 Main Street, Apt. 301, Spring Valley, was arrested on 10/25/17 and charged with Offering a False Instrument for Filing in the First Degree. She is accused of not reporting the full extent of her income to DSS and, as such, received an overpayment of benefits exceeding $8,000.

Elena Cineas (DOB 03/18/89) of 191 Pascack Road, Apt. 1, Nanuet, was arrested on 12/19/17 and charged with Offering a False Instrument for Filing in the First Degree and Welfare Fraud in the Fifth Degree. She is accused of not reporting the full extent of her income to DSS and, as such, received an overpayment of benefits exceeding $3,000.

Young Jin Chun (DOB 03/06/61 ) of 62 DeBaun Avenue, Airmont, was arrested on 12/19/17 and charged with Offering a False Instrument for Filing in the First Degree. She is accused of failing to report the extent of her income to DSS and, as such, received an overpayment of benefits exceeding $23,000.

"As I have been saying since I became County Executive, we will stop at nothing to root out public corruption in every corner of this county," Rockland County Executive Ed Day said in the announcement. "It is critical that our agencies work together to protect the taxpayers of Rockland."

A criminal complaint is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
https://patch.com/new-york/newcity/r...-welfare-fraud

So much waste, fraud and abuse of our money.

We could build 2 walls!