New York Woman Charged with $130,000 Welfare Fraud and Insurance Scheme

A New York woman has been charged with grand larceny, welfare fraud, and insurance fraud, accused of illegally obtaining over $130,000 in public assistance benefits and underpaying $11,000 in car insurance premiums. Prosecutors allege the defendant misrepresented her income, failed to disclose rental earnings from properties she co-owned, and falsified her residency to lower her insurance rates.

The charges stem from alleged fraudulent Medicaid and childcare benefit applications submitted between 2017 and 2021, where the defendant reportedly understated her income from jobs and claimed no rental income despite documented earnings from two Nassau County properties. Investigators also found that she used a false address in Oswego, New York, to obtain cheaper insurance rates for her 2017 Infiniti.

The defendant faces multiple felony charges, including grand larceny and welfare fraud in the second and third degrees, and insurance fraud in the third degree. She has pleaded not guilty and was released on her own recognizance. If convicted, she could face up to 15 years in prison.

Authorities highlighted the importance of protecting public assistance programs from fraud and thanked the Nassau County Department of Social Services and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service for their investigative support.