NJ couple arrested for fraudulently obtaining $39K in welfare benefits
New York State Inspector General, Letizia Tagliafierro, has announced the arrest of a New Jersey couple who allegedly lied about their income and residence to fraudulently obtain more than $39,000 in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Medicaid benefits.
The arrest was carried out by the Office of the New York State Welfare Inspector General investigation on Thursday January 14, 2021.
Carlos Monsanto, 41 and Angelina Reyes, 39, of Teaneck, NJ, were arrested and arraigned in Manhattan Criminal Court before Judge Paul McDonnell on charges of Welfare Fraud in the Third Degree and Grand Larceny in the Third Degree, both class D felonies.
In January 2019, the Office of the Welfare Inspector General (OWIG) received a complaint alleging that Monsanto and Reyes have resided in New Jersey but failed to disclose their out-of-state residency and significant employment income to the New York City Human Resources Administration when applying for public assistance benefits.
OWIG’s investigation found that Reyes and Monsanto were married in 2004 and listed a Bronx address as place of residence on their marriage certificate.
Reyes and Monsanto divorced in 2008, but Reyes moved to Monsanto’s home in Teaneck in 2018.
A review of utility payments, a real estate purchase, SNAP purchase locations, vehicle lease addresses and material on Reyes’ Facebook page found that the pair indeed resided in Teaneck full time by August 2018.
Despite this, between August 2018 to November 2020, Reyes submitted claims for SNAP and Medicaid assistance in New York State, falsely listing an apartment on 175th Street in Manhattan as her place of residence.
Additionally, Reyes failed to list their actual income in applications/recertifications for benefits. OWIG’s investigation found that Reyes and Monsanto’s combined income in 2019 was more than $132,000.
In total, Monsanto and Reyes received $39,378 in welfare benefits to which they were not entitled.
“The welfare system exists to provide a crucial safety net for those in financial distress – not to be abused for personal gain,” said Inspector General Tagliafierro.
“I thank our partners at the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office for prosecuting this matter,” she added.
Inspector General Tagliafierro thanked the Manhattan District Attorney for conducting the arrest and prosecuting the case.
The defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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