11-14-07

MINEOLA, NY – Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice announced today that her office has arrested nine women for welfare fraud after an investigation revealed more than $285,000 in theft from Nassau County government.

The arrests are the result of a continuing partnership between the District Attorney, the County’s Department of Social Services (DSS), and the Nassau County Commissioner of Investigations. The District Attorney’s Office would like to thank DSS for their significant role in uncovering and investigating these allegations.

“Public assistance, Medicaid, housing benefits: these are all finite resources of critical importance,” said Rice. “When you cheat the system you are not only stealing from the taxpayers, you are denying someone in need the ability to provide for themselves and their families.”

Nassau County Department of Social Services Commissioner Dr. John Imhof noted that “DSS continues to work cooperatively with the District Attorney’s office in rooting out public welfare fraud. If you try and cheat the system in Nassau County, you will be eventually caught and prosecuted to the full extent of the law.”

THERESA PARKER, 59, of Hempstead, is alleged to have wrongfully obtained public assistance benefits from the Nassau County Department of Social Services from November 2003 through August 2006, totaling $6,700 and further wrongfully obtained Section 8 benefits from the Nassau County Office of Housing and Intergovernmental Affairs from November 2003 through July 2007, totaling $30,892. Ms. Parker, while employed as a Nassau County Department of Social Services Welfare Examiner, applied for and obtained public assistance and Section 8 housing benefits as a result of the false representations she made on her applications regarding her household composition. Further, in support of her application for Section 8 benefits, while employed with the Nassau County Department of Social Services, Ms. Parker accessed DSS records belonging to her grandchildren and printed off records belonging to DSS from the DSS computer system, which she then submitted to Section 8 as proof to support her application that these children were in fact part of her household. Ms. Parker has been charged with Welfare Fraud in the Third Degree, Grand larceny in the Third Degree, Tampering with Public Records in the First Degree, and two counts of Offering a False Instrument for Filing in the First Degree. She faces a maximum of seven years in prison if convicted of the charges.

KATRICIA BODDEN, 25, of St. Albans, Queens, is alleged to have wrongfully obtained public assistance benefits from August 2005 through January 2007, totaling $33,484.17. Ms. Bodden submitted false employment verification forms to Nassau County Department of Social Services which resulted in her wrongfully obtaining $12,979.40 in day care assistance. Additionally, the defendant moved from Nassau County to Queens County and while residing outside of the County she continued to receive Medicaid benefits totaling $20,504.77. Ms. Bodden has been charged with Welfare Fraud in the Third Degree, Grand Larceny in the Third Degree, and Offering a False Instrument for Filing in the First Degree. She faces a maximum of seven years in prison if convicted of the charges.

JEANNIE BOZEMAN, 35, of Albrightville, PA, is alleged to have wrongfully obtained public assistance benefits from March 2005 through November 2005, totaling $9,238. Ms. Bozeman submitted false employment verification forms to Nassau County Department of Social Services which resulted in her wrongfully obtaining $7,104 in day care assistance. Ms. Bozeman also provided false information regarding her household composition which resulted in her wrongfully obtaining food stamp benefits totaling $2,134. Ms. Bozeman has been charged with Welfare Fraud in the Third Degree, Grand Larceny in the Third Degree, and Offering a False Instrument for Filing in the First Degree. She faces a maximum of seven years in prison if convicted of the charges.

QUEENESSA DEJURNETT, 26, Freeport, is alleged to have wrongfully obtained public assistance benefits from March 2006 through May 2007 by submitting a false application for child care benefits to the Nassau County Department of Social Services. Ms. DeJurnett failed to provide accurate information regarding her household composition and the income earned by the occupants of the household. Ms. DeJurnett has been charged with Offering a False Instrument for Filing in the First Degree, and Welfare Fraud in the Fifth Degree. She faces a maximum of four years in prison if convicted of the charges.

DEBORA HERRING, 42, of Elmont, is alleged to have wrongfully obtained public assistance benefits from January 2003 through November 2005, totaling $45,812.40 by submitting fraudulent provider information to the Nassau County Department of Social Services. DSS investigators reviewed Herring’s child care file which revealed that Ms. Herring’s earnings of $47,793.46 rendered her ineligible for the informal child care she was receiving and the agency advised the defendant that she was eligible for formal day care but that she would have to locate a formal day care center that was available. Ms. Herring requested a fair hearing at which time, investigators learned that the alleged child care provider listed by Ms. Herring did not exist at the location indicated on the provider forms she submitted. Ms. Herring has been charged with Welfare Fraud in the Third Degree, Grand Larceny in the Third Degree, and Offering a False Instrument for Filing in the First Degree. She faces a maximum of seven years in prison if convicted of the charges.

IRIS LEBRON, 51, of Valley Stream, is alleged to have wrongfully obtained public assistance benefits from January 2004 through March 2006, totaling $16,976.81, by submitting an application for benefits in which she failed to report her cash assets. In January of 2004, Ms. Lebron received $223,418.42 from the sale of a house and in that same month Ms. Lebron completed and submitted to Nassau County Department of Social Services an application for public assistance. In that application, Ms. Lebron indicated that she did not have any cash assets or bank accounts. As a result of the defendant’s failure to report accurately to DSS, she has been charged with Welfare Fraud in the Third Degree, Grand Larceny in the Third Degree, and Offering a False Instrument for Filing in the First Degree. She faces a maximum of seven years in prison if convicted of the charges.

EBONY ODEN, 24, of Baldwin, is alleged to have wrongfully obtained public assistance benefits from September 2002 through December 2002, totaling $6,230. Ms. Oden applied for public assistance with the Nassau County Department of Social Services by claiming to be homeless and DSS placed Ms. Oden in a motel. The defendant then presented 51 fraudulent motel receipts which resulted in her receiving cash for those alleged motel charges. An investigation revealed that Ms. Oden was not staying at the motel and that the receipts she submitted were fraudulent. Ms. Oden has been charged with Welfare Fraud in the Third Degree, Grand Larceny in the Third Degree, and Offering a False Instrument for Filing in the First Degree. She faces a maximum of seven years in prison if convicted of the charges.

CONSUELO ORELLANA, age 36, of Westbury, is alleged to have wrongfully obtained public assistance benefits from January 2005 through November 2006, totaling $57,055.54. She is alleged to have submitted applications and recertification forms to the Nassau County Department of Social Services in which she failed to report the actual income of her household and rental income from illegal tenants. Ms. Orellana wrongfully received public assistance benefits in the form of Day Care, Food Stamps and Medicaid and has been charged with Welfare Fraud in the Second Degree, Grand Larceny in the Second Degree, and Offering a False Instrument for Filing in the First Degree. She faces a maximum of 15 years in prison if convicted of the charges.

AJA PATTERSON, 38, of Hempstead, is alleged to have wrongfully obtained public assistance benefits from the Nassau County Department of Social Services from April 2003 through October 2006, totaling $78,852.65, by submitting recertification forms to the Nassau County Department of Social Services in which she failed to report her actual income which would have rendered her ineligible for the benefits she was receiving in the form of : Family Assistance, medical assistance, food stamps and child care services. The investigation revealed that during the fraud period Ms. Patterson worked for Warner Music Inc. in New York City, earning up to $90,951.58. Ms. Patterson has been charged with Welfare Fraud in the Second Degree, Grand Larceny in the Second Degree, and Offering a False Instrument for Filing in the First Degree. She faces a maximum of 15 years in prison if convicted of the charges.

Rice gave special thanks to the Nassau County Department of Social Services, Nassau County Commissioner of Investigations and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of the Inspector General for their hard work and dedication to these cases.

Assistant District Attorney Christine Burke, of the DA’s Government and Consumer Frauds Bureau, is handling the cases for the District Attorney’s Office.

The charges are merely accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

DA: Sweep Nets 9, Uncovers $285k in Welfare Fraud

Nine women, including former DSS Welfare Examiner arrested this week for stealing government benefits