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SID Collabortation Leads to Prosecution of Welfare Fraud in Erie County

The Erie County Department of Social Services credits its Special Investigations Division for effectively collaborating in an investigation that led to the prosecution of an individual who committed welfare fraud in Erie County.
Special Investigator Paul Wasch and Assistant Special Investigator Paul Dusza completed a cohabitation case investigation that resulted in a guilty plea by Stephanie Jurek, a recipient of Medicaid and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits in Erie County. Jurek was prosecuted by the Erie County District Attorney’s Office and pled guilty to Welfare Fraud in the fourth degree, which is a felony. Jurek was found to have concealed the presence of the father of her children in her household.
The over-payment in this case totaled $32,653.72, an amount roughly split between Medicaid and SNAP. ECDSS thanks the work of its SID staff for their diligent work in identifying and helping to prosecute welfare fraud in Erie County.