LIMA, Ohio (WLIO) — The fraud department at the Allen County Department of Job and Family Services is cracking down on individuals accused of providing false information to receive public assistance benefits.
Since the end of 2024, the agency has investigated eight cases that were sent to Allen County Common Pleas Court for various fraud charges. Officials say all of the cases involved women who allegedly provided false information in order to qualify for assistance programs such as SNAP, WIC and Medicaid.
Those eight cases alone resulted in more than $160,000 in overpayments, according to the agency. Joe Patton, executive director of Allen County Job and Family Services, says many of the cases involve applicants failing to report income or misrepresenting their living situations.
“What they typically do is they're over income, they apply for assistance, and they either hide income or they hide their living arrangements where they wouldn't be eligible for these type of programs,” said Patton.
Ally Garlock Brown, fraud and investigation supervisor for the agency, says the cases brought forward so far have been serious offenses.
“For all of the cases, they've all been felonies that we've brought against the clients that have not been truthful about their assistance. Like earlier in the week, we had one client plead guilty. Her overpayment amount is $28,000 is how much that is owed back to the agency,” said Garlock Brown.
Several of the women have pleaded guilty and entered the prosecutor’s diversion program in lieu of conviction, while others have received community control or probation. All have been ordered to repay the money owed to the agency.
Garlock Brown says several additional cases are still under investigation and that the department will continue pursuing individuals suspected of committing benefit fraud.
