DA: Port Washington Woman Among 6 Charged With Welfare Fraud

Photo: Yessika Gana

A Port Washington woman is one of six people who were recently charged with stealing thousands of dollars in taxpayer-funded social services, Acting Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas announced Thursday.

Yessika Gana, 59, collected a total of $37,488 in Medicaid benefits from January 2006 to January 2014, the DA reported.

Gana allegedly failed to tell the DSS that the father of her two children was living in her household. If Gana reported his income, her household income would have been above the standard of need for a public assistance household of her size, according to the DA.

Authorities arrested Gana on Wednesday and charged her with third degree welfare fraud, third degree grand larceny and first degree offering a false instrument for filing.

Nassau County Executive Edward P. Mangano warned those who cheat the system: “You will be caught and prosecuted, and the money you’ve stolen will be returned to our taxpayers.”

The others arrested include:

• Cindy Sarelis, 38, of New Hyde Park, was arrested Tuesday and was charged with third degree welfare fraud, third degree grand larceny, second degree criminal possession of a forged instrument and first degree offering a false instrument for filing.
• Ana Ventura (Rivas), 37, of Roslyn Heights, was arrested Tuesday and was charged with second degree welfare fraud, second degree grand larceny and first degree offering a false instrument for filing.
• Naisha Chinnery, 30, of Jamaica, was arrested Tuesday and charged with third degree welfare fraud, third degree grand larceny, second degree criminal possession of a forged instrument and first degree offering a false instrument for filing.

Singas looks to defend Nassau’s social service system and to protect the taxpayers who fund it.

“For every person defrauding taxpayers by getting benefits they are not entitled to receive, there are many more struggling Nassau residents that play by the rules as they seek to care for themselves and their families,” she said in a statement.

Image via NCDA

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