Welfare Fraud (Legal Definition) and Penalties
MCLA 400.60. (1) Any person who by means of willful false
statement or representation or by impersonation or other
fraudulent device obtains or attempts to obtain, or aids or abets
any person to obtain:
(a) assistance or relief than that to which he is justly
entitled; or
(b) a larger amount of assistance or relief than that to which he
is justly entitled; or any officer or employee of a county,
city or district Michigan Family Independence Agency, who
authorizes or recommends relief to persons known to him to be
ineligible or to have fraudulently created their eligibility;
or any person who knowingly buys or aids or abets in buying or
in disposal of the property of a person receiving assistance of
relief without the consent of the director or supervisor of the
state agency shall if the amount involved shall be of the value
of $500.00 or less, be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and shall
if the amount involved shall be of the value of more than
$500.00 be deemed guilty of a felony, and upon conviction shall
be punished as provided by the laws of this state.
The amount as used in this subsection shall be defined as the
difference between the lawful amount of assistance or aid and
the amount of assistance or aid actually received. If anyone
receives assistance or relief through means enumerated in this
section, in which prosecution is deemed unnecessary, the state
department or county departments may take the necessary steps
to recover from the recipient the amount involved, plus
interest at 5 % per annum. On conviction of the violation of
the provision of this section of any officer or employee of any
county, city or district Michigan Family Independence Agency,
such officer or employee shall be removed or dismissed from
office.
(2) Information furnished by recipients: There is imposed upon
every person receiving relief under this act either upon his/her
own application or by his/her inclusion, to his knowledge, in the
application of another the continuing obligation to supply to the
department issuing relief:
(a) the complete circumstances in regard to his/her income from
employment or from any other source or the existence of
income, if known to him/her, of other persons receiving
relief through the same application;
(b) information regarding each and every offer of employment for
himself/herself or, if known to him/her, of the other persons
receiving relief through the same application;
(c) information concerning changes in his circumstances or those
of other persons receiving relief through the same
application which would decrease the need for relief; and
(d) the circumstances if whereabouts, known to him/her, of
relatives legally responsible for his/her support or for the
support of other persons receiving relief through the same
application if changes in such circumstances or whereabouts
could affect the amount of assistance available from such
relatives or affect their legal liability to furnish support.
Any person who shall neglect or refuse to submit to the
department issuing relief the information required by this
section shall, if the amount or relief granted as a result of
such neglect or refusal be less than $500.00, be guilty of a
misdemeanor, and if the amount of the relief granted as a
result of such neglect or refusal be $500.00 or more, shall
be guilty of a felony, and upon conviction shall be punished
as provided by the laws of this state.