Welfare fraud
Sec. 7. (a) A person who knowingly or intentionally:
(1) obtains public relief or assistance by means of
impersonation, fictitious transfer, false or misleading oral or
written statement, fradulent conveyance, or other fraudulent
means;
(2) acquires, possesses, uses, transfers, sells, trades, issues, or
disposes of:
(A) an authorization document to obtain public relief or
assistance; or
(B) public relief or assistance;
except as authorized by law;
(3) uses, transfers, acquires, issues, or possesses a blank or
incomplete authorization document to participate in public
relief or assistance programs, except as authorized by law;
(4) counterfeits or alters an authorization document to receive
public relief or assistance, or knowingly uses, transfers,
acquires, or possesses a counterfeit or altered authorization
document to receive public relief or assistance; or
(5) conceals information for the purpose of receiving public
relief or assistance to which he is not entitled;
commits welfare fraud, a Class A misdemeanor, except as provided
in subsection (b).
(b) The offense is:
(1) a Class D felony if:
(A) the amount of public relief or assistance involved is
more than two hundred fifty dollars ($250) but less than two
thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500); or
(B) the amount involved is not more than two hundred fifty
dollars ($250) and the person has a prior conviction of
welfare fraud under this section; and
(2) a Class C felony if the amount of public relief or assistance
involved is two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500) or more,
regardless of whether the person has a prior conviction of
welfare fraud under this section.
(c) Whenever a person is convicted of welfare fraud under this
section, the clerk of the sentencing court shall certify to the
appropriate state agency and the appropriate agency of the county of
the defendant's residence:
(1) his conviction; and
(2) whether the defendant is placed on probation and restitution
is ordered under IC 35-38-2.
As added by P.L.182-1984, SEC.5.
Last modified: May 24, 2006