Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano announced last Thursday that the county’s Department of Social Services Office of Investigation has recovered more than $1 million in welfare fraud since January.
The $1 million in recovered funds marks the most ever recorded by the county in a single year, Mangano said.
“Since the first day of my administration, I have approved the commitment of resources to ensuring that only the neediest of our citizens receive the assistance to which they’re entitled,” the county executive said in a news release. “Anyone who tries to cheat the system will be apprehended and prosecuted to the full extent of the law.”
Mangano said the recovered funds are in addition to $5.5 million in “cost-avoidance” savings achieved through investigations and the review of application before welfare money was approved and paid.
The $1 million in recovered funds came from Medicaid, Temporary Assistance and Day Care welfare fraud, a county news release said.
“The Nassau County DSS Investigation Unit utilizes the latest cutting-edge technology to catch those who attempt to game the system,” DSS Director of Investigations Scott Skrynecki said. “Our detection systems have become very sophisticated and we hope these continuing arrests will discourage people from lying on their applications.”
The cases in which recovered funds were found have been referred to the state Attorney General’s Office and the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office for prosecution, the news release said.
“Nothing infuriates taxpayers and law-abiding citizens as much as those who try and take food and shelter away from the neediest of our citizens,” DSS Commissioner John Imhof said. “We remain committed to ensuring that those qualified will receive help, and that those who try and cheat the system will be introduced to our law enforcement authorities.”
Suspected cases of welfare waste, fraud or abuse can be reported to the county at www.nassaucountyny.gov/agencies/Welfare/index.html or through a toll-free hotline at (877) 711-TIPS. All callers will remain anonymous.
Reach reporter John Santa by e-mail at jsanta@theislandnow.com or by phone at 516.307.1045 x203. Also follow us on Twitter @theislandnow1 and Facebook at facebook.com/theislandnow.
