$200G in Medicaid, welfare fraud found

Nassau County officials said Friday that they have uncovered cases in which residents stole up to nearly $200,000 in taxpayer money by lying on their welfare and Medicaid applications.

The County Department of Social Services investigation's team referred the cases to Nassau District Attorney Kathleen Rice, who said she will look into each of them to see if the evidence supports criminal charges.

"There is no excuse for welfare fraud and we . . . will continue to protect taxpayers by rooting out those individuals who . . . receive benefits through criminal activity," County Executive Edward Mangano said.

The county did not name the suspects because they have not been charged with crimes.

Among the cases the county referred to Rice:

A 34-year-old Elmont mother who told the county Department of Social Services she was unemployed even though she and the father of her children had a household income of more than $338,000 in 2010, county officials said.

The woman, who stole more than $50,000 in illegal Medicaid benefits, was referred to county officials by the state Office of the Medicaid Inspector General after that office received a tip, county officials said.

Far from unemployed, she works full-time and also has a part-time job, county officials said. She lives in a home she bought in 2006 for $453,000.

A 51-year-old East Meadow man who officials say stole more than $65,000 in Medicaid payments for himself and his family while lying about his income and about properties he owns in Manhattan and Flushing, Queens.

A 59-year-old man in Westbury who concealed income from his neon sign business to steal more than $34,000 in Medicaid benefits.

A 37-year-old Hempstead man who stole nearly $29,000 in Medicaid benefits for himself and his common-law wife by working off-the-books in New Jersey.

A Great Neck woman who concealed she owned a Great Neck bakery and a rental property in Corona, Queens, to qualify for Medicaid benefits.

A Wendy's fast food worker from Uniondale who concealed her employment to get more than $4,000 in public assistance money.

In addition to prosecution, the county will be looking for full restitution from individuals convicted of welfare fraud in an effort to reimburse county taxpayers.

The sweep comes a week after a county social services worker and welfare recipient were arrested on charges that the worker illegally transferred $29,000 to the recipient's benefit card, and the two split the profits.

The employee Nicole Garcia, 28, of Freeport, and the recipient, Tiara Clemons, 30, of Uniondale face grand larceny and other charges.

"It's unconscionable that individuals try to cheat the system and jeopardize benefits intended for the truly needy," DSS Commissioner John Imhof said.