BINGHAMTON — An investigation started in January revealed $254,508 in flood-aid related fraud in Broome County, according to Broome County Executive Debbie Preston.
State law allows for the replacement of food stamps when a recipient reports a loss of food resulting from disasters like flooding. Following the September 2011 flooding, Broome County Department of Social Services received 933 new food-stamp cases.
As a result of the screening process, the county denied 154 applications. Another 78 cases were closed as unsubstantiated, 59 cases were deemed substantiated as intentionally submitting a fraudulent application, and 17 additional cases are pending potential disqualification or possible criminal charges.
(Sponsored)
Timekeeping Trap: Be Careful When “Rounding” an Employee’s Work Time
The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) regulations do not require an employer to track and pay an employee for the exact number of minutes they actually work. As currently written,
Year-End Benefits Check: Is Your Team Getting the BOOST They Deserve for 2026?
As we close out 2025 and finalize employee benefits for the coming year, there’s one question every small to medium-sized business owner should ask: Are your employees truly understanding—and maximizing—the
As a result of the investigation, conducted by the county’s Security Division’s Case Integrity Unit, 59 individuals were disqualified from the food-stamp benefit program for a cumulative total of 900 months.
“There is no penalty too strict for people who attempt to scam the system at the misfortune of others,” Preston said in a news release.
Contact DeLore at tdelore@tgbbj.com
