Cantonment Woman Charged With Welfare Fraud Over $11K In Food Assistance

March 27, 2024

A Cantonment woman is accused of fraudulently obtaining over $11,000 in food assistance from the state.

Arlene Jill Smith, 57, was charged with welfare fraud failure to disclose. She was released from the Escambia County Jail on a $5,000 bond.

The charge was brought directly by  the office of State Attorney Ginger Maden against Smith, alleging that she obtained $11,359 in food stamps between November 20, 2019, and October 31, 2022, by failing to disclose or report employment and submitting false applications.

Comments

9 Responses to “Cantonment Woman Charged With Welfare Fraud Over $11K In Food Assistance”

  1. Stumpknocker on March 30th, 2024 1:55 am

    There’s a bunch of fraud going on and has been for generation after generation, wonder just how hard they really look?

  2. Perez amarie. on March 29th, 2024 5:22 pm

    I’m against fraud 100 percent but I must admit that they make it nearly impossible to make it out in this worldI I’m sure she was making minimum wage and probably had no small kids to qualify in my opinion food stamps help is basically for someone who pays high rent and has one or more kids otherwise you can put your application in the trash you won’t qualify which why so many people are committing fraud, to begin with with and while against fraud I can relate to some situations I’m just confused about why food stamps don’t go looking for the ones married with double income who are buying homes and have husbands who aren’t on their lease and get away with fraud leave them, poor people, alone

  3. Chris Nanopoulos on March 29th, 2024 3:04 pm

    First offense. They should lose any assistance for 1 year and maybe some community service. Second offense, 5 years, 3rd offense, lifetime. I don’t see what prosecuting her is going to prove. Regardless, of earning or receiving above the limit for assistance. I’m certain she’s not rolling on the dough.

  4. J-THE-G on March 28th, 2024 9:25 am

    Hopefully they get every single person committing assistance fraud. Earn your own living and stop taking from society.

  5. Henry Coe on March 27th, 2024 7:45 pm

    I’m curious to know what the cost is to bring this to trial. Not that fraud is ok but we are looking at 3500 a year for food for three years and almost two of those years were during the pandemic.
    So what is the cost to prosecute? 100K ?
    I would like to know how much she was making over the amount that would qualify her for the food assistance she was getting.

  6. JJ on March 27th, 2024 3:29 pm

    @bill greene
    She was the first in line!

  7. Barbara on March 27th, 2024 3:27 pm

    I could never do this. I have a conscious.

  8. tax payer on March 27th, 2024 10:23 am

    They need to check more. There are a lot more out there doing the same thing.

  9. bill green on March 27th, 2024 10:18 am

    She didnt want to spend all of her time in food give away lines.