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Rental Scammer: South Hempstead Woman Faked Income For Housing Benefits, DA Says
A woman from Long Island has been accused of lying about her income for years in order to get rental benefits – and buying a house during that time, authorities said.
Melissa Beltre, a 42-year-old South Hempstead woman, faced her arraignment for her alleged scam on Thursday, March 14, the Nassau County District Attorney announced.
Starting in October 2018, Beltre applied to the Nassau County Office of Housing, Housing Choice Voucher Program (NCHCVP) for rental assistance.
On her application, the DA’s Office said, she claimed to live in Oceanside and that her weekly income fell in the cor…
Drugs, Welfare Cards: Springfield Couple Busted After Traffic Stop Upends Conspiracy, Cops Say
A Springfield couple was caught with drugs, a gun, and a stockpile of EBT and welfare assistance cards earlier this week after a routine traffic stop, authorities said.
Mark Centeno, age 33, and Astrid Reyes, 29, face a litany of charges following the Valentine's Day arrest, the Springfield police said.
An officer spotted Centeno and Reyes in a parking lot along State Street just before 5 p.m. Their car was missing its inspection sticker, which sparked the stop.
Officers found 900 Oxycodone pills, 39 grams of cocaine, and marijuana in the car, Springfield police said. Cen…
Rockland Woman Convicted Of Forging, Filing False Documents, Fraud
A Rockland County woman has been convicted of fraud and forging documents following a jury trial.
Jermika Depas, 32, of Spring Valley, was found guilty of one count of welfare fraud, three counts of criminal possession of a forged instrument, and three counts of filing a false document, all felonies, in order to receive rent-free living assistance, said the Rockland County District Attorney's Office.
“This defendant used deceit and fraud to feign a need for rent support and other public benefits," said District Attorney Thomas Zugibe. "Taxpayer-subsidized assistance is intended to…
