2 Manchester Residents Accused Of Food Stamp Fraud

MANCHESTER, CT — Two Manchester women were recently arrested and charged, in unrelated incidents, with stealing a combined $26,616 from a program financed by the Connecticut Department of Social Services, according to a Monday announcement by the Connecticut Department of Justice.

Amy Figueroa, 30, and Tarina Martin, 32, were arrested by Inspectors from the Statewide Prosecution Bureau of the Chief State's Attorney's Office on separate warrants charging them both with first-degree larceny.

According to an arrest warrant affidavit, Figueroa received $21,691 in benefits from the state Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, otherwise known as SNAP, that she was not entitled to receive. The benefits were handed out from December 2017 to February 2020 because she intentionally underreported her household income in order to meet the SNAP gross income limit, according to a warrant.

Figueroa is accused of failing to report a relative living in her home, and failing to report his income, according to a warrant. Figueroa and her relative are both employed by the State of Connecticut, prosecutors said. Figueroa was released on a $10,000 non-surety bond and is scheduled to appear in Manchester Superior Court on Dec. 13.

According to a warrant, Martin received $4,925 in SNAP benefits that she was not entitled to receive from September 2020 to February 2021 because she intentionally failed to report her earned income on her Periodic Report Form in order to meet the SNAP gross income limit. Martin was released on a $10,000 non-surety bond and is scheduled to appear in Manchester Superior Court, on Dec. 13.