Dumb Criminal of the Day: Well-Off Seattle Couple Bilks Welfare System

Most people can get jealous about the upper 1% in our country. But a well-off Seattle couple is giving everyone a real reason to despise them.

Investigators have uncovered a scam where this couple was collecting welfare benefits, while living in a million-dollar home and traveling the world.This couple lived in a three-bedroom, 2,300-square-foot home on Lake Washington. The home was worth $1.2 million. They owned a Jaguar, and took numerous exotic vacations to see the world (Moscow, Paris, Israel, Turkey, Mexico and the Dominican Republic). All the while, collecting welfare benefits.

It kind of makes you sick doesn't it?

I'm not sure how these two thought they'd never get caught, but I guess they were getting away with it for more than eight years.

The wife allegedly got Section 8 housing assistance starting in 2003 by saying she lived alone with two children and that her household assets were less than $5,000.

The husband claimed to be her landlord and has received her monthly benefits check of $1,272 every month since then.

The wife also received Social Security disability income and benefits under the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program. She also allegedly failed to disclose her marriage and bank accounts in her name.

Now the  US attorney’s office has filed suit against the couple and wants them to pay back the money they took, and pay fines for false claims.

I've heard of a lot of people fudging on their tax forms to try and stay in lower tax brackets, but taking welfare checks to bay for a million-dollar house, gas up your luxury car, and travel the world?

Despicable.

Obviously money can't buy brains.

[USA Today]

Photo by stevendepolo, Flickr

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