NORTH SCITUATE, Rhode Island (WBZ NewsRadio) — 88 Rhode Island residents are being charged with illegally collecting nearly half a million dollars in welfare benefits.
"The 88 suspects allegedly collected approximately $469,000 in public assistance over the past several years after failing to disclose that they had outstanding felony warrants against them," State Police wrote in a release.
State Police Major Timothy Sanzi says the suspects lied about criminal backgrounds. "These 88 men and women were found to have been wanted on outstanding warrants for a variety of felony charges ranging from attempted murder, first degree robbery, to narcotics violations, and felony shoplifting."
Major Sanzi says this is all part of an ongoing crack down on public assistance fraud.
"We're holding people accountable," he added. "They're depriving people who can get this benefit."
WBZ NewsRadio's Kim Tunnicliffe with more: