RISP: 62 arrested, 26 wanted for benefit fraud

By: News Staff

Email: news@abc6.com

Twitter: @ABC6

 SCITUATE, R.I. (WLNE)-  Nearly 100 people have been arrested or are the subject of active arrest warrants after State Police found they illegally collected almost $500,000 total in benefits.

The year-long investigation found a total of 88 people that failed to report their outstanding warrants for a variety of felonies when applying for benefits.

Federal regulations require all outstanding warrants to be reported on the application for public assistance. Felonies ranged from burglary to attempted murder.

Police say these people collected a total of $469,000 in both nutrition and child care assistance.

“We are holding people accountable to what they put down on public documents,” said Major Timothy Sanzi, . “That’s our responsibility as law enforcement because it’s fraud.”

Now this is the third time in the past year state police have arrested a big group like this for benefit fraud. Last July 20 people were arrested and in November, so were another 24 people.

If you’d like to report benefit fraud there is a fraud hotline and a website where you can do so.

Connect with us at ABC6.com for that information.

©WLNE-TV / ABC6 2019