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Most welfare fraud charges are wobblers, which means prosecutors have the discretion to file the cases as felonies or misdemeanors. A conviction can mean probation, fines, restitution, and possible time in jail or state prison.
California Welfare & Institutions Code 10980 WIC defines the crime of welfare fraud as making false statements or failing to report important information when applying for public programs to obtain benefits. 1 California’s welfare programs include
Most welfare fraud cases involve misrepresentations of income or financial need on the required forms that are signed under penalty of perjury, or by a failure to update any change in income or financial need after welfare benefits have been established.
(h)(1) If the violation of subdivision (f) or (g) is committed by means of an electronic transfer of benefits, in addition and consecutive to the penalties for the violation, or attempted violation, of those subdivisions, the court shall impose the following punishment:
What Are the Penalties for Welfare Fraud in California? Since there are so many ways to violate WIC 10980, some more serious than others, there is a wide range of possible penalties for committing welfare fraud depending on which part of the law you are convicted of violating.
Most welfare fraud cases involve intentional misrepresentations or omissions of income or financial need on public forms that are signed under penalty of perjury, or failure to update any change in income or financial need after welfare benefits have been established.
10 wrz 2023 · A felony conviction carries up to three years in prison and fines of up to $5,000. CalWORKS and CalFresh use EBT cards that are subject to large-scale fraud. Stealing EBT cards, cloning them, or electronically draining EBT accounts carries stiff federal penalties of up to 20 years in prison and up to $250,000 in fines.
