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13 People Accused Of Welfare Fraud In Nassau County

MINEOLA, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- More than a dozen cases of welfare fraud have been uncovered in Nassau County.

The county's Department of Social Services Office of Investigations recently caught 13 people trying to cheat the system out of hundreds of thousands of dollars, officials announced Monday.

In one case, a 29-year-old Levittown man lied about his income and that he was part owner of two businesses in order to illegally qualify for Medicaid benefits, WCBS 880's Mike Xirinachs reported.

13 Accused Of Welfare Fraud In Nassau County

Others allegedly forged documents and signatures to illegally collect aid.

"Those that set out to defraud the system have become more crafty in their schemes and more elaborate in their schemes," Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano said, adding that welfare fraud impacts everyone. "If you live in Nassau County and you're paying taxes, you're being cheated."

The cases have been referred to the Nassau County District Attorney's Office for prosecution.

"Those who steal money from the neediest of our citizens will be caught, prosecuted and have jail time sought for the crimes they commit," Mangano stated.

To report questionable practices in programs such as Medicaid, day care, food stamps, public assistance and Family Health Plus, call 1-877-711-TIPS (8477).

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