Printer Friendly Version

Welfare Fraud

The Family Protection Unit will strengthen the existing Welfare Fraud Section's prosecution of those who raid the public treasury, stealing money that would have been used to care for children living in poverty. Attorney General King has assigned investigators and prosecutors to bring to justice those who prey on the least among us. The Attorney General's Office and the State Department of Human Resources are working together to develop innovative approaches to protect these critical funds, to uncover and vigorously prosecute criminals who steal welfare benefits, and to pursue the return of funds fraudulently paid. Particularly, the unit will target repeat offenders and serial violators for more severe penalties. The Attorney General's Medicaid Fraud Control Unit will assist the Family Protection Unit in the enforcement of laws designed to protect adults in particular need, such as the elderly, nursing home patients and the mentally and physically disabled. The Family Protection Unit will aggressively investigate and prosecute those who abuse, steal from, or otherwise exploit such vulnerable citizens.

1. Interstate Fraud
• The Attorney General's Welfare Fraud Division is charged with prosecuting those who steal funds that should be reserved for Alabama's poorest families and therefore, it is being incorporated into the Family Protection Unit.
• The Family Protection Unit and Welfare Fraud Section Chiefs have met with Commissioner Page Walley of the Department of Human Resources and discussed methods to track down and apprehend criminals who commit the crime of welfare fraud in multiple states. Organized schemes to defraud have been too successful in evading prosecution in Alabama for too long. Concentrated efforts will now be made to identify and punish them. The Family Protection Unit will work with D.H.R. to ensure that we have the necessary resources to pursue these criminals, many of whom illegally collect multiple benefits in different states.
2. Increased Welfare Fraud Prosecutions
• The Welfare Fraud Unit is intensifying its efforts to track down and prosecute welfare cheaters. Through this increased attention, the goal is to double the number of cases of welfare fraud presented to grand juries across the state.
3. Stiffer Penalties
• Efforts will be increased to vigorously punish welfare criminals by asking judges to impose serious penalties on the worst of these offenders. Additionally, those instances involving serial violations and organized schemes to defraud taxpayers will be carefully examined and targeted for harsher treatment.
4. E.B.T. Fraud
• Since Alabama has been completely converted from food stamps to Electronic Benefit Transfer (E.B.T.) cards, the Family Protection Unit will work with the Department of Human Resources to institute a system of oversight that will seek out those who are defrauding this system and bring them to justice. An E.B.T. card is similar to a reusable debit card that is automatically reloaded with welfare benefits each month. These cards are then used like credit cards at the cash register of qualifying merchants who participate in this program. There should be a system of audits of these transactions to ensure that fraud is detected and those responsible are prosecuted.