Welfare cheats don't get away, official says
Associated Press
State Attorney General Earl Anzai says welfare cheats do get caught.
Advertiser library photo
He said last week that 157 cases of suspected welfare fraud involving the suspected theft of more than $3 million were referred to the state and counties for criminal prosecution last year.
State Attorney General Earl Anzai said 93 people were convicted for welfare fraud in 2001.
Anzai said 132 people were indicted for welfare fraud and 93 others were convicted of welfare fraud offenses involving the theft of more than $2.4 million.
In addition, more than 800 people were administratively sanctioned for intentional violations of public assistance program rules that resulted in them receiving more than $940,000 in benefits they weren't legally entitled to receive, he said.
A new criminal case involves a man accused of using multiple identities to obtain more than $20,000 in public assistance benefits.
Gregg Jorgensen, 47, is facing extradition to Hawai'i after being arrested last week by police in Sayreville, N.J., Anzai said.
Jorgensen, also known as Philip Pallone and William Zogg, was indicted by an O'ahu grand jury Feb. 20 on a charge of first-degree theft.
