welfare fraud

Press release:

Aurelio Aragon-Figueroa, 42, of Byron, was sentenced to three years probation in Genesee County Court on April 15.

In addition, he paid full restitution of $9,321 to the Genesee County Department of Social Services and will be disqualified from receiving Food Stamp (SNAP) benefits for a period of one year.

The sentence was a result of his guilty plea in February to: 11 counts of first degree offering a false instrument for filing; two counts of falsifying business records; and one count of third-degree grand larceny.

The charges were filed after a Social Services investigation revealed Aragon-Figueroa had submitted several documents that were altered to conceal household income.

Anyone wishing to report suspected cases of welfare fraud in Genesee County can contact the Genesee County Department of Social Services Fraud Investigation Unit at (585) 344-2580, ext. 6417 or 6541. All calls are confidential.

Press release:

Ifrah Armstrong, 42, of Batavia, pled guilty to one count of attempted grand larceny in the fourth degree, a Class A misdemeanor, in Batavia Town Court on Dec. 1. Sentencing has been scheduled for February.

Armstrong was originally charged with four counts of offering a false instrument for filing in the first degree, grand larceny in the third degree, all felonies. An investigation by Genesee County Social Services Investigator Dakota Nicholson revealed that Armstrong failed to report income she was earning. 

She subsequently received $5,208 in SNAP benefits she was not entitled to.

Armstrong has made full restitution of $5,208. She will also be disqualified from receiving SNAP benefits for one year.

Heidi Connolly, 45, of Batavia, pled guilty to one count of petit Larceny in Genesee County Court on Oct. 28. Sentencing has been set for January.

Connolly was originally charged with seven counts of offering a false instrument for filing in the first degree and third-degree grand larceny, all felonies. An investigation by Genesee County Social Services Investigator Robert Riggi revealed that Connolly failed to report income being earned by herself and her adult son, who was residing in the home.

Connolly subsequently received $3,631 in SNAP benefits she was not entitled to.

Connolly has made restitution of $3,000 thus far. She will also be disqualified from receiving SNAP benefits for one year.

Brenda Gursslin, 47, of Batavia, was sentenced to a one-year conditional discharge in Batavia Town Court on Dec. 1 after she pled guilty to one count of petit larceny.

Gursslin was originally charged with one count of offering a false instrument for filing in the first degree and grand larceny in the fourth degree 4^th, both felonies. An investigation by Genesee County Social Services Investigator Dakota Nicholson revealed that Gursslin failed to report income she was earning.

She subsequently received $1,775 in SNAP benefits she was not entitled to.

Gursslin has made full restitution of $1,775. She will also be disqualified from receiving SNAP benefits for one year.

Anyone wishing to report suspected cases of welfare fraud in Genesee County can contact the Genesee County Department of Social Services Investigation Unit at (585) 344-2580, ext. 6417 or 6541.

Tanyana Williams, 28, of Batavia, was sentenced to a one-year conditional discharge in Batavia Town Court on Monday, Dec. 19, after pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy in the fifth degree.

Williams was initially charged with: 44 counts of offering a false instrument forfiling; one count of fourth-degree grand larceny; and one count of fifth-degree conspiracy.

An investigation by the Genesee County Department of Social Services revealed Williams conspired with her father, Roy Bell Sr., to defraud the Genesee County Department of Social Services for daycare subsidy payments. The pair falsified daycare time sheets submitted to the Department of Social Services.

The pair subsequently received $1,258.04 in childcare subsidy payments to which they were not entitled.

Williams accepted the plea deal to the reduced charge of fifth-degree conspiracy and was sentenced to one-year conditional discharge, was disqualified from receiving child care subsidy payments for one year, and has made full restitution to the Genesee County Department of Social Services

Roy Bell Sr. also previously pled guilty to the fifth-degree conspiracy charge, and likewise received a one-year conditional discharge.

Anyone wishing to report suspected cases of welfare fraud in Genesee County can contact the Genesee County Department of Social Services Investigation Unit at (585) 344-2580, ext. 6417 or 6416.

A 25-year-old Le Roy resident who admitted to cheating the system out of $10,437 in public assistance and food stamps was sentenced in County Court today to five years probation. 

Jessica Horton was also ordered to pay back the money obtained under false pretenses.

Horton was accused in August of filing documents with the Department of Social Services claiming that her two children were living with her when they were not.

She entered a guilty plea Oct. 29 to one count of offering a false instrument for filing in satisfaction of the counts she was originally arrested on, which included seven counts of offering a false Instrument for filing, 1st, and one count of grand larceny, 3rd.

As a term of the plea deal, Horton is permanently disqualified from receiving financial aid through the Temporary Assistance or SNAP programs.

To report suspected welfare fraud, call DSS's Fraud Investigation Unit at (585) 344-2580, ext. 6417 or 6416. All calls are confidential.

Press release:

Benjamin Lindke, 41, and his wife, Molly Lindke, 42, both of Lake Street Road in Le Roy were sentenced  in Genesee County Court today (Sept. 10) as a result of their guilty pleas on July 13 to a single count of offering a false instrument for filing in the first degree, a Class E felony.

Benjamin Lindke was sentenced to five years of probation and 100 hours of community service; and Molly Lindke was sentenced to five years of probation. They will also be disqualified from the SNAP (Food Stamp) program and they were ordered to pay $6,048 in restitution to the Genesee County Department of Social Services.

In November, Benjamin Lindke and Molly Lindke were both charged with five first-degree counts of offering a false instrument for filing and one count of third-degree grand larceny. The charges were filed after it was discovered that the couple had submitted various recertification forms to the Department of Social Services and failed to report Benjamin Lindke’s income from his employment and his receipt of Unemployment Insurance Benefits.

Anyone wishing to report suspected cases of Welfare Fraud in Genesee County can contact the Genesee County Department of Social Services Fraud Investigation Unit at (585) 344-2580, ext. 6417 or 6416. All calls are confidential.