Commentary by: When Hurricane Irene hit last year, it took its toll on a number of states on the Eastern seaboard. But few could anticipate that its impact would linger so long in Connecticut, where a government investigation into possible disaster aid fraud has placed several state employees at the center of a debate on fraud and abuse in the Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP).
According to a report from The New Haven Register, approximately 800 state employees filed for federal D-SNAP assistance made available for disaster relief following Hurricane Irene. Thirty-four are now being investigated for allegedly providing fraudulent information to receive the disaster SNAP benefits, also known as food stamps. The article notes that the governor has indicated that most of the employees connected with the case allegedly “applied for the supplemental food aid program” but he added that “some may have understated income levels or overstated the number of dependents in order to obtain the full benefits.” (You mean they lied!)
A defense attorney for multiple state employees currently under investigation has countered that the application is too complicated. He referenced “news reports from early this year, which said that the rate of inaccurate food stamp benefit payments was amount the worst in the country” and has set up a website, www.TakeTheDSNAPChallenge.com, to prove it. He is asking the public to try to complete the D-SNAP application and says: “’As you will find, it is impossible to complete the form accurately without inquiring of a DSS worker.’”
Who are the state workers under investigation? The story says that Connecticut’s governor “confirmed that some were ‘high-wage earners,’ pulling in annual salaries that may exceed $100,000. (Making $100K and still on food stamps. Love the attorney claiming the system is confusing. What’s next? His clients couldn’t read or the dog ate their application?)
How will this play out? We don’t know yet, but one thing is for certain: states need to do a better job of identifying the red flags for fraud and/or improper benefit payments across the board – BEFORE they send the checks.
i just would like to know if the govern is opening the investigation to all state residents? or is this only limited to his employees? how many people applied? did any illegal immigrants receive aid? just wanted to know because the application doesnt require S.S.N.