Great Neck couple charged with welfare fraud

A Great Neck Hebrew school teacher and her husband were arraigned Wednesday on charges of falsely receiving welfare, according to the Nassau County district attorney's office.

Siona Kamel, 42, and her husband, Rabi, 52, were arrested in September in a sweep of Medicare and welfare fraud investigations. They pleaded not guilty to charges of welfare fraud, grand larceny and filing a false instrument at their arraignment in front of Judge John Kase in county court in Mineola.

The Kamels face charges that between June 2003 and May 2008, they concealed income from Rabi Kamel's Manhattan jewelry business and from the ownership and sale of a second home to qualify for more than $54,000 in public assistance, according to Nassau DA Kathleen Rice.

They claimed they earned between $31,000 and $38,000 a year, when "in reality, they earned between $95,851 and $147,172 a year," according to the DA's office.

The Kamels were released on their own recognizance and are due back in court May 26. They declined to comment Wednesday.

"They still maintain their innocence," said their lawyer, Marc Gann of Mineola. "My clients . . . relied on an accountant to fill out the paperwork."