Perhaps it is insane to defraud state and federal government programs and think you can get away with it. (But that doesn’t mean an insanity defense will actually work.) A story reported by WSAZ News Channel 3 states that a couple, who lied about their living arrangements, was able to swindle the Social Security Administration and Kentucky’s Medicaid program out of hundreds of thousands of dollars.
According to the story, the deceitful duo misrepresented themselves to the Social Security Administration and Kentucky Medicaid program for 17 years. The wife claimed that she and her husband were living separately and not sharing living expenses, so she fraudulently claimed and collected $280,000 in Medicaid and Social Security Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits for which she was not eligible. (That averages more than $16,000 a year taken out of the pockets of the aged, blind and disabled who have little or no income.)
The 59-year-old wife was found guilty of SSI fraud, Medicaid fraud, theft of government property and making a false statement. She was sentenced to 36 months in prison. Her husband was found guilty of making a false sentence and was sentenced to 24 months in prison. (Now they will have to live separately.) In addition to their prison sentences, the couple has been ordered to pay restitution equal to the amount they stole.
Perhaps while serving out their prison sentences, this couple of schemers can devise a plan to support each other honestly instead of stealing from the government and those who qualify for and deserve government support.
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