Seattle welfare recipient lives in million-dollar home

[Minky]

A Seattle woman who is receiving welfare assistance from Washington state also happens to live in a waterfront house on Lake Washington worth more than a million dollars.

Federal agents raided the home this weekend but have not released the woman or her husband's name because they have not officially been charged with a crime.

However, federal documents obtained by KING 5 News show the couple currently receives more than $1,200 a month in public housing vouchers, plus state and government disability checks and food stamps. They have been receiving the benefits since 2003.

The 2,500 square-foot home, which includes gardens and a boat dock, is valued at $1.2 million. And even though the couple has been receiving the benefits for nearly 10 years, records show that they accurately listed the address of their current home when applying for the state and federal benefits.

A federal official told KING 5 that the couple likely took advantage of a loophole, which allows low-income individuals to receive financial assistance to help them pay their rent and move away from housing projects. However, the law does not require officials to verify what type of home the benefits recipient is living in.

As if the million dollar home weren't enough, the supposedly low-income couple also gave money to various charities and traveled around the world to locales in Turkey, Tel Aviv and resort towns in Mexico, according to court records.

Link

[diesel driver]

I don't know whether to laugh or cry.

On the one hand, you got a couple that basically told the truth, and got government assistance. 

On the other hand, you have a bureaucracy too damned lazy to verify an address!!!!  WTH!   

Not only should the couple be made to repay what they got from local, state, and the feds, so should EVERY person connected with their case.  Dollar for dollar!

Department heads pay DOUBLE!

[vesta111]

I don't know whether to laugh or cry.

On the one hand, you got a couple that basically told the truth, and got government assistance. 

On the other hand, you have a bureaucracy too damned lazy to verify an address!!!!  WTH!   

Not only should the couple be made to repay what they got from local, state, and the feds, so should EVERY person connected with their case.  Dollar for dollar!

Department heads pay DOUBLE!

Devils advocate----

I am not sure these people can be charged with much of anything as long as they did not lie on applications for assistance.

We may find out the couple divorced, husband got the home.   Later they get back together and he {rents} out half the house to his ex wife.  By law he is now in fact her landlord.  She receiving disability benefits that she would get anyway, with no income, applies for housing assistance and food stamps that she would get if she lived in a tent somewhere.

The government made the rules and regulations, the woman just played by the governments own rules honestly.As long as everything is in the [landlords] name and she has no access to his accounts, then I cannot see how this can be called fraud.   

[longview]

Devils advocate----

I am not sure these people can be charged with much of anything as long as they did not lie on applications for assistance.

We may find out the couple divorced, husband got the home.   Later they get back together and he {rents} out half the house to his ex wife.  By law he is now in fact her landlord.  She receiving disability benefits that she would get anyway, with no income, applies for housing assistance and food stamps that she would get if she lived in a tent somewhere.

The government made the rules and regulations, the woman just played by the governments own rules honestly.As long as everything is in the [landlords] name and she has no access to his accounts, then I cannot see how this can be called fraud.   

A bucket full of the cold water of reality:

That's still scamming.  And you'd have to fudge the facts on the application or in the interview to still get benefits.

[JohnnyReb]

Cheating ass Cadillac welfare queens do not exist....just ask the DUmmies.

Obama's illegal alien, dole collecting aunt should take leasons from this woman.

[NHSparky]

Devils advocate----

Stop.  Just stop right there.

Don't post unless you can manage to get more than, oh, say, ONE POST without sounding like a resounding mouth-breather.  Hell, I'll settle for ONE SENTENCE.

I drew UEI for a grand total of THREE WEEKS.  Even then I knew I had to PROVE several things, like my status, that I was looking for jobs, etc., and there was a little statement about false statements being fraud, shit like that.

So yeah, they SHOULD get ass-raped with a pineapple for what they did.

[Gina]

This kinda reminds me of a scam that was going on here.  There were a few multi-million dollar homes that were vacant and these people went and filed Quit Claim deeds transferring ownership to themselves and they would move in.  It happened, for real! I'll see if I can find a link.  Anyway the news crews would pull up to the houses and the people would not open their doors but a crack saying "It's mine"  

[vesta111]

This kinda reminds me of a scam that was going on here.  There were a few multi-million dollar homes that were vacant and these people went and filed Quit Claim deeds transferring ownership to themselves and they would move in.  It happened, for real! I'll see if I can find a link.  Anyway the news crews would pull up to the houses and the people would not open their doors but a crack saying "It's mine"  

YUP Gina, no telling what someone can do as long as they follow the law and find the loopholes.  Just look at what some people get away with by playing the game with the others rules.

A smart tax Attorney can find deductions for someone making $120,000 a year to pay the same in taxes as someone making $ 35,000 a year.   

I worked as private duty Nurse for the wife of a business owner, their home, 55 foot Cruiser, cars were all OWNED on paper by the business.   All the wife's clothing and jewelry were tax deductible as a business expense.  Even the husbands skivies were tax deductable, their trips as long as a client came along put down to business expense.

I was even tax deductable, their maid was deducted even as she worked for cash.  She received $25.00 a day but somehow in the records she was deducted at $100.00 a day as maintenance of a cooperate owned building, her home.

As long as one plays by the rules others set up, keep to the strict and honest, one can make a fortune.  Those that lie or cheat in the game get caught and WOE be to them, these are the ones that had they played the loop holes would make big bucks.   The shysters, got 3-5 years for cheating on the rules.

Hard to fault anyone that plays by the government rules, finds a loop hole and dives in.   All legal and above board.

You and I, do we not take advantage of tax right off on our mortgage, all city and State taxes???  We deduct the cost to register our autos even down to town taxes to get our dog license.

Say, I wonder if our 401k losses can be deducted as a loss of income-----have to look into that. If loss due to gambling can be deducted, save all loosing scratch tickets for example, then why not losses in the 401K.

[DumbAss Tanker]

I don't know whether to laugh or cry.

On the one hand, you got a couple that basically told the truth, and got government assistance. 

A lot of the finer details of the story show that while there were a few things they told the truth about, there were lots and lots of important material lies involved obtaining those benefits, too.  Whatever the faults of the programs may be, these two SOBs were criminals and grifters.  The most convincing lie always weaves in some truth, after all.

[seahorse513]

Something strange going on here....When people have to apply for assistance, don't they have to prove financial eligibilty to receive welfare benefits?

I think more people scam the welfare system than we think...
I remember either Sparky or Zetgeist had put some pic of a welfare queen(Chicago??) She had a fifty inch screen tv, dining room set, basically lives well...

People who live on welfare for years know these loopholes and try to get around the system.

It is frustrating to see people who cheat to get ahead, while others are really struggling to get by..