Inspector General files Welfare Fraud charges against 67 in March

HARRISBURG, Pa. – The Office of Inspector General (OIG) filed welfare fraud charges against 67 individuals between March 1 and March 31, 2017. These charges will generate a total of $252,176.66 in restitution paid to the commonwealth, as well as additional cost savings as the defendants will be temporarily disqualified from receiving public benefits in the programs they defrauded.

• Sharene Matthews, 29, of Sharon in Mercer County, for $2,395 in cash assistance fraud and $1,536 in SNAP fraud.
• Jennifer Shindledecker, 39, of Abbottstown in Adams County, for $3,775.02 in SNAP fraud and $2,058 in medical assistance fraud.
• Elina I. Chepelov, 28, of Erie in Erie County, for $9,582 in SNAP fraud.
• Sharon A. Sanchez, 52, of East Stroudsburg in Monroe County, for $1,204 in SNAP fraud and $3,145.64 in medical assistance fraud.
• Ciarah Peters, 28, of Easton in Northampton County, for $5,257 in SNAP fraud.
• Danett Harr, 33, of Johnstown in Cambria County, for $4,913 in SNAP fraud.
• Vimary Rios, 32, of Bethlehem in Northampton County, for $4,954 in SNAP fraud.
• Desiray Kauffman, 29, of Carlisle in Cumberland County, for $11,891 in SNAP fraud.
• Amanta Beausejour, 40, of Mountville in Lancaster County, for $5,024 in SNAP fraud.
• Christian Dixon, 36, of Harrisburg in Dauphin County, for $3,284 in SNAP fraud.
• Rebecca L. Jordan, 34, of Connellsville in Fayette County, for $3,176 in SNAP fraud.
• Rachel A. Boston, 40, of Reading in Berks County, for $12,733 in SNAP fraud.
• Sabrina Russell, 38, of Harrisburg in Dauphin County, for $3,990.61 in SNAP fraud.
• Sundae M. Fletcher, 38, of Darby in Delaware County, for $3,792 in SNAP fraud.
• Aleia N. McMillan, 33, of Harrisburg in Dauphin County, for $7,222 in SNAP fraud.
• Keyna Lundy, 44, of Tobyhanna in Monroe County, for $5,078 in SNAP fraud.
• Danielle Bunch, 41, of Greenville in Mercer County, for $3,681 in SNAP fraud.
• Josiane Rodriguez, 38, of Glenside in Montgomery County, for $3,066 in SNAP fraud.
• Diana L. Higinbotham, 32, and Matthew J. Brownfield, 34, of Smithfield in Fayette County, for $8,699 in SNAP fraud and $900 in LIHEAP fraud.
• Julie P. Brown, 24, of Harrisburg in Dauphin County, for $6,443 in SNAP fraud.
• Heather Wike, 39, of Altoona in Blair County, for $6,698 in SNAP fraud.
• Theresa D. Phillips, 33, of Wilmerding in Allegheny County, for $4,254 in SNAP fraud.
• Nicole Cella, 35, of Irwin in Westmoreland County, for $3,193 in SNAP fraud and $3,740 in medical assistance fraud.
• Dumas Thompson, 42, of Lancaster in Lancaster County, for access device fraud for withdrawing $1,155.17 in SNAP benefits from someone else’s Electronic Benefit Transfer Access (EBT) card.
• Paul Reinthaler, 54, of Johnsonburg in Elk County, for $3,104 in SNAP fraud.
• Tanya E. Keenan-Mack, 37, of Williamsport in Lycoming County, for SNAP trafficking and access device fraud for unlawfully selling her EBT card in exchange for heroin, resulting in the withdrawal of $194 in SNAP benefits.
• Alyson Hartz, 39, of Myerstown in Lebanon County, for $3,259 in SNAP fraud.
• Sonia M. Morgan, 53, of Irwin in Westmoreland County, for $4,230.69 in medical assistance fraud.
• Jennifer L. Grottenthaler, 42, of Irwin in Westmoreland County, for $3,388.62 in medical assistance fraud.
• Dawna M. Gilvarry, 27, of Jeannette in Westmoreland County, for $3,777.20 in medical assistance fraud.
• Kimberly O.  McGeever, 41, of Jeanette in Westmoreland County, for $3,318.32 in medical assistance fraud.
• Michael Karolewics, 36, of Smithton in Westmoreland County, for $4,227.62 in medical assistance fraud.
• Amy L. Morgan, 37, of Belle Vernon in Westmoreland County, for $8,995.78 in medical assistance fraud.
• Justin J. Dodson, 40, of Hollidaysburg in Blair County, for $4,091.44 in medical assistance fraud.
• Adriana M. Gavidia-Cook, 38, formerly of Dauphin County, for $6,048.10 in subsidized day care fraud.
• Tonya Session, 31, of Pittsburgh in Allegheny County, for $7,854.40 in subsidized day care fraud.
• Walkidia Medina, 28, of Stroudsburg in Monroe County, for $3,087.80 in subsidized day care fraud.
• Pamela D. Trautman Fairm, 34, of Springdale in Allegheny County, for $3,577 in SNAP fraud.
• Todd J. Tylenda, 44, of Pittsburgh in Allegheny County, for $3,794.93 in subsidized day care fraud.

• Aaron M. Tighe, 28, and Krystal A. Hartle, 28, of Oil City in Venango County, for $1,725 in cash assistance fraud and $1,256 in SNAP fraud.
• Sandra Prindle, 44, of Erie in Erie County, for $2,531 in SNAP fraud and $1,022.79 in medical assistance fraud.
• Maureen E. Jones, 44, of Gallitzin in Cambria County, for $1,563 in SNAP fraud and $2,251.43 in medical assistance fraud.
• Laura M. Eve, 38, of New Castle in Lawrence County, for $1,792 in SNAP fraud.
• Shirley D. Taylor, 58, of Chester in Delaware County, for $2,142 in SNAP fraud.
• Amy L. Kriss, 42, of Du Bois in Clearfield County, for $1,865 in SNAP fraud.
• Brianna L. McElroy, 27, of Easton in Northampton County, for $1,869 in SNAP fraud.
• Teresa L. McGinnis, 38, of Columbia in Lancaster County, for $2,043.62 in SNAP fraud.
• Marquetti M. Jeffrey, 27, of Sharon Hill in Delaware County, for $1,721 in SNAP fraud.
• Wanda I. Medina, 36, of Reading in Berks County, for $1,706 in SNAP fraud.
• Tiffany S. Shade, 41, of Steelton in Dauphin County, for $2,137 in SNAP fraud.
• Barbara Lovell, 42, of Middletown in Dauphin County, for $1,774 in SNAP fraud.
• Anna Montano, 37, of Pittsburgh in Allegheny County, for $2,522 in SNAP fraud.
• Nicole Small, 37, of Lansdowne in Delaware County, for $1,880 in SNAP fraud.
• Heidi Melensky, 25, of Saltsburg in Westmoreland County, for $2,153 in SNAP fraud.
• Lanika T. Mills, 39, previously of Glenside in Montgomery County, for $2,306 in SNAP fraud.
• Kelly R. Dlabik, 49, of Greensburg in Westmoreland County, for $2,069 in SNAP fraud.
• Derek Cox, 30, of Warren in Warren County, for $1,950 in SNAP fraud.
• Laura H. Brogan, 25, of Altoona in Blair County, for $2,720.48 in medical assistance fraud.
• Sylvia D. Grannison, 54, of Sharon in Mercer County, for $1,541 in SNAP fraud

• Cassandra Moran, 26, of Lebanon in Lebanon County, for $1,176 in SNAP fraud.
• Stephanie Danko, 28, of Glen Lyon in Luzerne County, for $1,358 in SNAP fraud.
• Adolfo Malave, 51, of Reading in Berks County, for $1,358 in SNAP fraud.
• Shyreeta L. Hammond, 42, of Pittsburgh in Allegheny County, for $1,128 in SNAP fraud.
• Sylvia L. Berry, 42, of Norristown in Montgomery County, for $1,434 in SNAP fraud.
• Sharice L. Stribling, 33, of Pittsburgh in Allegheny County, for $1,394 in SNAP fraud.