The State of Ohio is cracking down on Welfare Fraud and Allen County is doing their part.
The state legislature has earmarked 2 and a half-million dollars to stop public assistance fraud. In response, Allen County Job and Family Services has started an Early Detection Program to catch any errors in applications. They will be looking for information about income and the number of household members that don’t add up. If an individual is found to file fraudulent information, there are consequences.
Allen County Job and Family Services Director Joe Patton explains, “They would be referred to the fraud unit then there would be different repercussions that could happen through the state SNAP benefit system. One, you could be disqualified from food stamps for up to one year. And in the most extreme situations we would be making a referral to our Allen County Prosecutor’s office for criminal actions.”
Patton says it’s not about taking benefits but about program integrity. Making sure those who qualify for benefits get what they are entitled and stopping those who abuse the system.
