It should be noted that a criminal complaint is merely an accusation and that a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

OFFICE OF THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY • ROCKLAND COUNTY Thomas P. Zugibe, District Attorney

www.RocklandCountyDA.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 25, 2013 Xiomara Lopez (845) 638-5013 Ron Levine (845) 638-5645

14 FACE CHARGES IN $229,000 CHILD CARE FRAUD

Rockland County District Attorney Thomas P. Zugibe, joined by Rockland County Executive C. Scott Vanderhoef and Susan Sherwood, Commissioner of Social Services, today announced that 14 individuals face charges of illegally obtaining subsidized child care funds. The defendants allegedly fraudulently obtained child care subsidy payments from the Rockland County Department of Social Services by submitting false information to receive the benefits meant to provide child care for needy families. Twelve of the defendants have been formally charged and two are presently being sought. According to the criminal charges, the 14 defendants - who range in age from 25 to 42 - allegedly falsified applications submitted to the Rockland County Department of Social Services between 2007 and 2011, making it possible for each to receive child care subsidies. The total amount allegedly stolen from taxpayers exceeds $ 229,000. District Attorney Zugibe said, “These defendants are accused of cheating the system by fraudulently receiving payments from a program designed to provide benefits to the disadvantaged. With so many low-income families truly in need of child care support, my office will aggressively pursue those who use deceit and fraud to feign a need for public benefits.” County Executive Vanderhoef said, “As a result of the County Department of Social Services ongoing commitment to child care fraud prevention, and detection, and their close partnership with District Attorney Thomas Zugibe's office, individuals who fraudulently obtain public assistance need to know they face swift and certain prosecution in Rockland County.” Child care subsidy fraud takes many forms, including concealing true income in order to qualify for the program, falsely representing children in the home eligible for the program when the children are, in fact, living elsewhere and reporting someone as a child care provider when, in fact, that person is not providing child care services. In one instance, the county paid $3,642 to help defray day care costs for Barbara Jordan (DOB 04/19/88) and Dion Wilfong (DOB 07/01/82) of 175 Fred Hecht Drive, Spring Valley, New York. The defendants allegedly scammed the system by claiming that Wilfong was an uncle to his own child in order for him to obtain DSS payments for watching the child.

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 income-eligible families earning less than 200% of the poverty level but earning too much to receive Temporary Assistance.

New York’s child care subsidy program is a state-supervised program that’s administered locally by the state’s 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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 Note to Editors: Press release e‐version posted on RocklandCountyDA.com  

Child Care Fraud Defendant

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

Child Care Fraud Defendant

my Dellolio Lynam DOB: 4/11/84

Larceny 3rd Degree

/A Yesenia Abreu DOB: 5/15/71

and Larceny 3rd Degree

arbara Jordan DOB: 4/19/88 lley, NY

eny 3rd Degree

ion Wilfong DOB: 7/1/82 Valley, NY

endel Kirsh DOB: 8/27/77

d Grand Larceny 2nd Degree

A452 Somerset Drive, Pearl River, NY Charges: Welfare Fraud 3rd and Grand

N 39 Qualls Road, Conchecton, NY Charges: Welfare Fraud 3rd and Gr B175 Fred Hecht Drive, Spring VaCharges: Welfare Fraud 3rd and Grand Larc

D175 Fred Hecht Drive, SpringCharges: Grand Larceny 3rd Degree M1 Pearl Drive, Monsey, NY Charge: Welfare Fraud 2nd an