August 9, 2006
DA and DSS Uncover Welfare Fraud
8 defendants accused of stealing more than $150k in public assistance benefits
MINEOLA, NY – Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice announced today that charges have been filed against eight defendants accused of stealing more than $150,000 from the Nassau County Department of Social Services (DSS). The cases were referred to the District Attorney’s Office by the Special Investigations Unit of the Nassau County Department of Social Services.
“Defrauding the government will not be tolerated in Nassau County,” said District Attorney Kathleen Rice. “For every person cheating the system, there are countless others working hard, just getting by, and playing by the rules. Government has a finite amount of money and when it’s abused, fewer hard-working people have access to this critical help.”
Department of Social Services Commissioner John E. Imhof added, “The effective collaboration between the District Attorney’s Office and DSS has once again resulted in reducing the waste, fraud and abuse of taxpayer’s money in Nassau County.”
Motunrayo Joyce Fadugba, 30, and her husband Oluwatoyin John Fadugba, 41, of Elmont, have been charged with Welfare Fraud in the Second Degree, a Class C felony, and Offering a False Instrument for Filing in the First Degree, a Class E felony. Priscilla Wright, 31, of Freeport, Katie Shannon Watters, 24, of Hicksville, Tania Diaz Lugo, 40, of Valley Stream, and Kenisha Johnson, 28, of Hempstead, have been charged with Welfare Fraud in the Third Degree, a Class D felony and Offering a False Instrument for Filing in the First Degree, a Class E felony. John Evans, Jr., 35, is charged with Welfare Fraud in the Third Degree, a Class D felony, Offering a False Instrument for Filing in the First Degree, a Class E felony, and Criminal Impersonation in the Second Degree, a Class A misdemeanor. Emma Yaneth Martinez, 35, of Baldwin, is charged with two counts of Criminal Possession of a Forged Instrument in the Second Degree, a Class D felony, and Offering a False Instrument for Filing in the First Degree, a Class E felony.
The charges stem from the defendants’ submitting falsified and forged documents to the DSS in order to receive child care and public assistance benefits to which they were not entitled.
Mr. Fadugba, who is employed as a physical therapist, allegedly forged documents to the DSS indicating that his wife was employed in a minimum wage job, when in fact Mrs. Fadugba was employed by the Port Authority earning a higher salary. It is also alleged that Mrs. Fadugba also submitted documents to the DSS in which she falsely stated that her husband had left the country and moved to Nigeria. This scheme resulted in the Fadugba’s receiving $55,023 in child care assistance benefits to which they were not entitled.
It is alleged that Ms. Wright submitted forged documents to the DSS in which she falsely stated that the father of her children was earning $150 a week and unable to provide child care for the children while she worked. As a result, Ms. Wright wrongfully received $31, 833 in child care assistance benefits.
Ms. Watters, with the assistance of friends, allegedly submitted fraudulent employment documents to the DSS in order to facilitate Watters receiving day care benefits for her children to which she was not entitled. A number of these documents indicated that Ms. Watters worked for “Mel’s Cleaning Service,” which is a non-existent company. Ms. Watters obtained $27,502 in public assistance benefits to which she was not entitled as a result of her scheme.
Ms. Lugo allegedly concealed her income of approximately $160,000 per year by submitting forged documents to the DSS which falsely indicated that she was employed earning $180 per week. By submitting these falsified documents to the DSS, Ms. Lugo illegally received $21,715 from the DSS in public assistance benefits.
It is alleged that Mr. Evans submitted forged motel receipts to the DSS which indicated that he and his family had stayed at a local motel and thereby obtained public assistance benefits totaling $14,093 to which he was not entitled. Additionally, Mr. Evans is being charged for falsely representing himself as a police officer and attempting to obtain free accommodations at a local motel.
Ms. Martinez allegedly had in her possession a forged Social Security card and a forged Alien Registration card which she provided to DSS on an application for public assistance benefits. The defendant did not receive any benefits for herself as a result of this fraud.
Ms. Johnson allegedly obtained public assistance benefits totaling $7,129 in day care assistance to which she was not entitled by submitting forged employment verification documents to the DSS. The fraudulent documents the defendant submitted to the DSS, which purported to be from her employer, bore the forged signature of a person who had died before the documents were created.
Six of the eight defendants were placed under arrest by the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office this morning. Mr. Evans was arrested last night and Ms. Lugo was arrested last Friday. They will be arraigned today in First District Court, Hempstead. Assistant District Attorney Stephani Meister of the Government and Consumer Frauds Bureau will be prosecuting the cases for the District Attorney’s Office.
The Nassau County District Attorney’s Office would like to thank the Special Investigations Unit of the Department of Social Services for their cooperation and assistance in these investigations.
The charges are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Name: Montunrayo Joyce Fadugba
Age: 30
Address: Elmont, NY
Charges: Welfare Fraud 2°, Offering a False Instrument for Filing 1°
Name: Oluwatoyin John Fadugba
Age: 41
Address: Elmont, NY
Charges: Welfare Fraud 2°, Offering a False Instrument for Filing 1°
Name: Priscilla Wright
Age: 31
Address: Freeport, NY
Charges: Welfare Fraud 3°, Offering a False Instrument for Filing 1°
Name: Katie Shannon Watters
Age: 24
Address: Hicksville, NY
Charges: Welfare Fraud 3°, Offering a False Instrument for Filing 1°
Name: Tania Diaz Lugo
Age: 40
Address: Valley Stream, NY
Charges: Welfare Fraud 3°, Offering a False Instrument for Filing 1°
Name: John Evans, Jr.
Age: 35
Address: address unknown
Charges: Welfare Fraud 3°, Offering a False Instrument for Filing 1°, Criminal Impersonation 2°
Name: Emma Yaneth Martinez
Age: 35
Address: Baldwin, NY
Charges: Criminal Possession of a Forged Instrument 2° (two counts), Offering a False Instrument for Filing 1°
Name: Kenisha Johnson
Age: 28
Address: Hempstead, NY
Charges: Welfare Fraud 3°, Offering a False Instrument for Filing 1°
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