Port Washington Woman Lied About Income to Collect Food Stamps, Medicaid: DA

A Port Washington woman was arrested Thursday for illegally collecting Medicaid and food stamp benefits after failing to report income from a nearly $1 million house sale, according to Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas.

Linda Scialo, 57, was arraigned on the following charges: third-degree welfare fraud, third-degree grand larceny and first-degree offering a false instrument for filing.

According to the DA, Scialo under-reported her income to the County Department of Social Services in order to illegally receive $38,940 in Medicaid and food stamps from March 2014 to December 2013. Scialo also failed to report a monthly income of $5,000, pursuant to divorce proceedings, from the August 2012 sale of her Port Washington home for $975,000, the DA says.

“Benefits like Medicaid and food stamps are paid for by the public to support those in our communities who need the most help, and any abuse of this system is a crime against every taxpayer,” Singas said in a press release.

Scialo’s alleged scheme was discovered by the DSS and was then referred to the DA’s Office for criminal prosecution.

Scialo was released on her own recognizance and is due back in court on May 2. She faces a maximum sentence of 2 ⅓ to 7 years in prison if convicted of the top charge.

Image via NCDA