Criminal state workers cover non-criminal state workers in ignominy*

This story sucks because 1) stealing is wrong, and 2) it will allow idiots like Tom Kline to rest easy in their idiotically shallow beliefs about state workers and governments in general.

State social workers indicted in food benefit scam
Nearly $1 million stolen from federal program
June 14, 2016

Seven former state workers have been indicted after officials say they stole nearly $1 million from a federal food service program.

The employees worked for the Department of Health and Social Services as Division of Social Services case workers responsible for issuing Electronic Benefit Transfer cards, said Carl Kanefsky, spokesman for the Attorney General’s Office.

The workers created fictitious and unauthorized EBT accounts with varying amounts of food benefits on the card. EBT cards work similar to debit cards; money is placed on the card to help people who qualify pay for groceries. EBT cards are part of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program which is federally funded, said Jill Fredel, director of communications for DHSS.

Fraud was first suspected in 2014 when a Division of Social Services supervisor could not find required documentation to support a benefits case, Fredel said. Investigators with DHSS’s Audit and Recovery Management Services immediately began an investigation working with the USDA, which administers the SNAP program, she said.

Investigators discovered social workers would issue cards to state service centers in New Castle and Kent County where they worked, and where they would intercept the cards. Employees would then use the cards or sell them, Kanefsky said.

* Tom Kline, ignominy means public shame or disgrace.