Welfare fraud is committed when an individual intentionally abuses the Arizona welfare system. For example, an individual may accidentally withhold information or they may do it intentionally. If it is found that the act is intentional, then it is welfare fraud. Perhaps income was misrepresented in order to receive benefits or information regarding the number of household members was withheld.
Other acts of welfare fraud include faking an injury or illness to deceive the welfare system or someone says they cannot work when they actually can. The system is made to help those who need the help rather than a handout. If someone tries to acquire the handout rather than the “hand up,” and they are caught up in it, they could be sentenced to jail time and required to pay the state the money that was lost in the fraud.
Proving The Facts In Your Case
There is a lot of controversy surrounding welfare fraud because abuse of the system can reduce the funds that are needed to help those who do need it. Because the program is one that is funded by taxpayers, taxpayers are inconvenienced when they money funds fraudulent activities.
Basically, welfare fraud is a very expensive situation for Arizona to contend with, which is why it is so heavily prosecuted. It results in a felony charge, which can turn into a felony conviction with years of time to service.
There are times when individuals are accused of moving from district-to-district under different aliases or someone claims children that don’t exist. For instance, a case in the early 1980s involved a woman who claimed she had 38 children. The woman was believed to be wealthy before she ran the scheme.
These are just some examples of welfare fraud and the accusations that surround them. If you are accused of defrauding the welfare system, then you need to have a Mesa federal criminal defense lawyer working with you to help you get the best result.
Knowledgeable Welfare Fraud Representation
Even if you have committed some kind of welfare fraud, there may be facts in your case that convinces the prosecution to reduce the charges so that the penalties are not as harsh. This can be done through showing the facts and sound negotiation skills. The least harsh the penalties are, the better chance you have at a productive future. Your attorney knows how to reveal the details as they are rather than the inflated way that the prosecution will try to see them so that they can secure a conviction.
Contact A Mesa Federal Criminal Defense Attorney
If you have been accused of welfare fraud, then it is important that you seek reliable and quality representation as soon as possible. There are times when an act may be misconstrued as welfare fraud, thus causing a person to be charged with something they didn’t do. To prove the facts in your case, you need a criminal defense attorney who knows the law and how to uncover the facts. To find out more about how Myles A. Schneider & Associates, LTD. can help you, call 602-926-7373 for a free consultation.