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OFFICE OF THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY ROCKLAND COUNTY Thomas P. Zugibe, District Attorney www.RocklandCountyDA.com
The defendants are variously charged with Grand Larceny in the Third Degree, a class D Felony and Welfare Fraud in the Third Degree, a class D Felony. (See Addendum for further details) If convicted, they each face up to four years in prison. The countywide sweep of alleged fraudsters is the result of a one-year, $60,000 Child Care Fraud Prevention and Detection Incentive Program Grant from the New York State Office for Children and Family Services. (OCFS) Some of the defendants accused of stealing child care subsidies were also allegedly receiving food stamps and other public assistance to which they were not entitled. Child care fraud may exist when an applicant for, or recipient of, child care services deliberately provides the County Department of Social Services with false or incomplete information or omits information on such data as household composition, household income, the need for child care services, address, etc. to receive or retain child care services to which they are not legally entitled to receive. Child care fraud may also exist when a provider of child care services deliberately falsifies or alters attendance records to mark a child present who is not and bills the Department of Social Services for services not rendered; shares child care subsidy monies with the recipient; and/or charges the Department of Social Services more when caring for a child whose family receives a child care subsidy than the provider charges members of the general public. Child care subsidy funding is limited, said Susan Sherwood, Commissioner of Social Services. Every fraudulent dollar spent means there is one less dollar that can go to an increasing number of eligible families who rely on this subsidy so they can go to work. Approximately $9 million will be spent on child care subsidies for fiscal year 2013 in Rockland from federal, state and local funding sources. As of December, 2012, there were 714 families receiving subsidies for 1,590 children and approximately 867 eligible families on a waiting list. The waiting list affects incomeeligible families earning less than 200% of the poverty level but earning too much to receive Temporary Assistance. New Yorks child care subsidy program is a state-supervised program thats administered locally by the states 58 social services districts. OCFS works with its partners to help identify and prevent fraud, waste and abuse in the program. There are several ways residents can report suspected child care fraud: E-mail information to reportfraud@dfa.state.ny.us Fax information to 845-364-3169 Mail information to the Rockland County Department of Social Services, Special Investigations Unit, P.O. Box 307, Pomona, NY 10970 Call Information Rockland at 845-364-2020 Residents providing information can remain anonymous.
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Pamela Phillips DOB: 8/20/1971 34 Hilltop Drive, Monroe, New York Charges: Welfare Fraud 3rd Degree; Plead guilty to Petit Larceny on December 12, 2012.
Nathalie Antoine DOB: 6/11/1989 124 S. Main Street, Apt 1C, Spring Valley, New York Charges: Welfare Fraud 3rd Degree; Plead guilty to Petit Larceny on January 15, 2013.
Christina Huffman DOB: 7/3/1984 67 Ewing Avenue, Apt C-27, Spring Valley, New York Charges: Welfare Fraud 3rd Degree; Plead guilty to Petit Larceny on January 15, 2013.
Charity Casey DOB: 3/31/1976 193 Wayne Avenue, Stony Point, New York Charges: Grand Larceny 4th Degree
Azuka Tuke DOB: 6/20/1977 193 Wayne Avenue, Stony Point, New York Charges: Welfare Fraud 3rd Degree (2 Counts) and Grand Larceny 3rd Degree (2 Counts)
Jessica Ortega DOB: 11/20/1982 3944 Wilder Avenue, Bronx, New York Charges: Grand Larceny 3rd Degree
Tishana Keene DOB: 1/26/1988 16 Balmoral Drive, Chestnut Ridge NY Charges: Welfare Fraud 2nd and Grand Larceny 2nd Degree
Amy Dellolio Lynam DOB: 4/11/84 452 Somerset Drive, Pearl River, NY Charges: Welfare Fraud 3rd and Grand Larceny 3rd Degree
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Yesenia Abreu DOB: 5/15/71 39 Qualls Road, Conchecton, NY Charges: Welfare Fraud 3rd and Grand Larceny 3rd Degree
Barbara Jordan DOB: 4/19/88 175 Fred Hecht Drive, Spring Valley, NY Charges: Welfare Fraud 3rd and Grand Larceny 3rd Degree
Dion Wilfong DOB: 7/1/82 175 Fred Hecht Drive, Spring Valley, NY Charges: Grand Larceny 3rd Degree
Mendel Kirsh DOB: 8/27/77 1 Pearl Drive, Monsey, NY Charge: Welfare Fraud 2nd and Grand Larceny 2nd Degree