Broome County Security Division Case Integrity Unit recently filed criminal charges upon the conclusion of an investigation of several local welfare recipients who received social services benefits they were not entitled to. In the sweep, twenty four people were arrested and charged with various violations of NYS penal law welfare fraud statutes, which identified $161,612 in fraudulent payments made to beneficiaries. Those charged will begin appearing in Binghamton City Court on Monday, March 2nd.
“Many are seeking assistance during these tough economic times,” said Broome County Executive Barbara J. Fiala. “We are entrusted to protect program integrity and ensure hard earned taxpayer dollars go to the people who truly deserve them. Recipients will be held accountable for any aid they received that they were not entitled to.”The fraudulent recipients were charged for such offenses as failing to disclose income derived from rental properties, undisclosed bank account assets and earned income from various sources while receiving social services benefits. The charges filed on these beneficiaries range from misdemeanors to various felony levels. In 2008, the Case Integrity Unit identified, avoided and recovered nearly 6 million dollars through the fraud detection program lead by the County Security Division.“Our mission is to review applicants for assistance as well as those that have received past assistance to assure the integrity of our social service programs,” stated Director of Broome County Security James D. Dadamio. “Let this serve as a reminder that we will continue to protect taxpayer dollars from being distributed into the wrong hands.”
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