The Niagara County Sheriff’s Office partnered with Social Services and the District Attorney’s Office last month to charge 15 people with welfare fraud.
In total, deputies say these individuals fraudulently obtained $35,341 in benefits.
The sheriff’s office, Social Services and DA say they will continue to rout out these cheats, an effort they ramped up beginning in 2010. It has saved taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars:
Niagara Co ramped up efforts to track welfare fraud in 2010. Here's what they saved taxpayers each year. @WKBW pic.twitter.com/24RvSpT7JZ
— Jill Perkins (@JillPerkinsWKBW) February 4, 2016
Here is the list of people accused of crimes:
- Marrianna Shucraft-Musilowski – fourth degree grand larceny (felony), fourth degree welfare fraud (felony), first degree offering a false instrument for filing (felony).
- Michelle Martinez – second degree offering a false instrument for filing (misdemeanor).
- Michael Marsh – petit larceny, fifth degree welfare fraud, second degree offering a false instrument for filing (misdemeanor).
- Patrick Hicks – making a false written statement (misdemeanor).
- Vanh Phouapadith – fourth degree grand larceny (felony), fourth degree welfare fraud (felony), first degree offering a false instrument for filing (felony).
- Caroline Allen – misuse of food stamps (misdemeanor).
- Amber Deline – fourth degree grand larceny (felony), fourth degree welfare fraud (felony), first degree offering a false instrument for filing (felony).
- Ashley Sewar - fourth degree grand larceny (felony), fourth degree welfare fraud (felony), first degree offering a false instrument for filing (felony).
- Deborah Crenshaw – second degree offering a false instrument for filing (misdemeanor).
- Venita Pellicano – fourth degree grand larceny (felony), fourth degree welfare fraud (felony), first degree offering a false instrument for filing (felony).
- Margot Boyd – second degree offering a false instrument for filing (misdemeanor).
- Heather Werksman – petit larceny (misdemeanor), fifth degree welfare fraud (misdemeanor), second degree offering a false instrument for filing (misdemeanor).
- Julius Hall – fifth degree welfare fraud (misdemeanor), second degree offering a false instrument for filing (misdemeanor).
- Darin Ganshaw – fourth degree grand larceny (felony), fourth degree welfare fraud (felony), first degree offering a false instrument for filing (felony).
- Jamilah Sumaray – first degree offering a false instrument for filing (felony).
