IG looks, discovers Food Stamp abuse at state facility

Inspector General Catherine Leahy Scott has issued an eye-opening report on how workers at a residence that is part of the Hutchings psychiatric center in Central New York helped themselves to the Food Stamp cards and PINs of residents they were supposed to be caring for.

One employee in particular, Alphonso Bradshaw, spread the benefits around, giving and selling them and to friends and family, even helping a Syracuse-area pizza parlor use the benefits to stock their shelves.

The state Office of Mental Health says they have since instituted controls to prevent this kind of abuse, which netted almost $18,000 in government-funded food between 2012 and 2014.

Read more: http://blog.timesunion.com/capitol/archives/268919/ig-looks-discovers-food-stamp-abuse-at-state-facility/