Crime & Safety
Couple Who Defrauded $100,000 in State Benefits Avoids Jail Time
Whitefish Bay couple agrees to pay back $98,000 in public assistance. Couple lives in $400,000 house, earns more than $160,000 a year.
WHITEFISH BAY -- A Whitefish Bay couple who reportedly defrauded the state of nearly $100,000 in public assistance benefits has avoided jail time for their crimes after agreeing paying back most of what had been taken.
According to a report by the Journal Sentinel, Todd Schaller and Mary Carini-Gallagher collected approximately $115,000 in benefits over a seven-year period, despite the fact that they lived in a $400,000 house and one of them was earning $160,000 a year.
Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Jeffrey Conen suspended 12-month jail sentences for both defendants, meaning they could serve time if they fail terms of probation, the Journal Sentinel reported.
Find out what's happening in Whitefish Bayfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
The couple, who has paid $98,000 back to the state in a settlement, was sentenced to probation and community service time.
Read the full report here:
Find out what's happening in Whitefish Bayfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.