Woman accused of $192,000 in welfare fraud

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By Beth Boehne

CROWN POINT, Ind. (AP) — A woman accused of lying to collect nearly $192,000 in benefits for herself and her four children faces welfare fraud charges.

Kimberlie Nikedah Miller, 33, was being held Wednesday at the Lake County Jail on $20,000 bond. The Merrillville resident was charged Tuesday in Lake Criminal Court.

According to court records, she told caseworkers with the state Family and Social Services Administration that she had minimal income and that the father of her four children had abandoned them in 1999.

In fact, tax and Bureau of Motor Vehicles records showed Miller and the man lived together in homes in East Chicago, Gary and Hobart and earned as much as $40,000 a year.

According to the state, that income was too large for Miller and her children to have qualified for the combined $191,967 in Medicaid benefits, food stamps and child care subsidies they received from the state between 2003 and 2008.

During the same time, the father of the children filed tax forms listing Miller's home as his address, court records allege. Miller also underreported her income to the state, court documents state.

If convicted, Miller faces up to eight years in prison and an $8,000 fine. She had not yet appeared in court and did not have an attorney listed in jail records.

Tuesday, Aug 12 at 3:37 PM no name wrote ...

you all need to breath!This is a silly crime.The crime of survival. None of us knows the exact situation. I know from working for the state that no one in the history of welfare since I have been working has gotten 38,000 from welfare in a year! Not without 20 kids. Let this play out in court. There are so many people on welfare and it is only 1-1.5% of the national budget! We have given all of our money to iraq. Politicians have scammed more than this. Think about it!

Tuesday, Jul 29 at 6:24 PM anonymous wrote ...

sad, sad, sad

Friday, Jul 25 at 3:35 PM shelly wrote ...

Hey People remember innocent until proven guilty.He who is without sin must cast the first stone.does anyone think that 129,000 is a rediculous number for the medicaid in a little over 4 years?it sounds like someone was sick.i mean physically.Obviously the system has failed somewhere. anyone who lives in indiana knows that the vast majority of women only get 139 bucks a month and that is not enough.do the math and see what she was really getting.if she was getting childcare she was working.

Wednesday, Jul 9 at 11:50 PM Berrien County Res Again wrote ...

Linda, I so agree with you! I really think that welfare recips need to be drug tested & the DNA testing should be done as well. If you provide no daddy, you get no help. If you don't know, you better remember who you slept with. It shouldn't be that dang difficult. I cannot imagine NOT knowing who the father is. But then again I've been with my hubby for a total of 23 years! We were together for 9 1/2 years before we even got married & we didn't have any kids until we wanted them!

Friday, Jul 4 at 11:04 AM Anonymous wrote ...

it makes me sick people abusing the system im a single mom ive always made to much money for any kindof help.when i got layed off i still made to much money to even get food stamps i had to go to a food pantry.they really need to screen people.women need to get off there butt and support there family.

Friday, Jul 4 at 10:32 AM bobandconnie wrote ...

I think the only way the welfare system can be fixed is to shut it down and make everyone re apply. Serious screening of these people need to be done.

Friday, Jul 4 at 7:22 AM Linda wrote ...

I agree she should pay the system back. And the man who claimed the kids on this tax return should be investegated they will most likely discover he has fathered some of those 4 kids. we need more troops in Iraq(empty the jails send them all over there. I also say before you can get welfare a DNA is required to name the father make them pay the way for thier child. Laws need to be changed the free rides need to stop. I do support the elderly who needs assistance to recieve it.

Thursday, Jul 3 at 8:22 PM Anonymous wrote ...

its people like them who make it harder for the rest of us to get benefits...whats wrong with our government today

Thursday, Jul 3 at 7:55 PM irritated wrote ...

its scum like this that make it hard for working single mothers who work 2 jobs to pay for everything on their own and can't get any assistance

Thursday, Jul 3 at 2:51 PM Needs to Pay Back Ever bit of it wrote ...

Its People Like this that makes me mad, the people that really need it cant get it because it People like her that put the hurt on everyone else that could really use it. Also it hurts us tax payers that have to pay for her fun of collecting all that money. She Should be Made to Pay it back plus interest. I hope the Judge make a good example out of her along with others that try to get a way with cheating the welfare system Make her pay it all back every cent taken.

Thursday, Jul 3 at 1:54 PM BS wrote ...

192,00 over 5 years, and I work why??? Oh that's right I am not a baby mill. But I am sure this will be all washed away like ALL the government wasted spending here an abroad. And they wonder why people get mad when you raise our taxes.. geez

Thursday, Jul 3 at 1:08 PM ShuShug wrote ...

I agree...no way do I want to pay AGAIN by letting her get 3 square meals and then some by going to jail. Make her work to pay the money back.

Thursday, Jul 3 at 12:26 PM Rae wrote ...

Working couples have a hard time getting/paying for childcare unless you lie or just going school or sitting on your butt at home. They feel like when you have two parents in one household, that they never need help. I guess we all make $10 or more a hour, huh?

Thursday, Jul 3 at 11:50 AM Change wrote ...

Instead of allowing the illegal immigrats to stay in the country to do the jobs no one else wants, MAKE these criminals do it. These type people will find one way or the other to scam the system. Put the welfare money towards free day care programs so the parents HAVE to work. Stop just handing out money to Americans as well as Foriegn Countries

Thursday, Jul 3 at 10:28 AM Tammy wrote ...

When is the government going to get most of these slackers up off their backs and take these benfits away! What a way to make a living----having as many babies as you can and get paif for it! Do away with welfare make people work!

Thursday, Jul 3 at 8:25 AM Rae wrote ...

It's a shame the ones who tell the truth can't get much help. But, if you lie your tail off, you will get everything and more. I know we make $50 too much to get help with childcare of child that isn't ours, but we didn't want the child in the system. So we told the child in. My caseworker told me it's not her fault I decided to get the child. Maybe I should have lied........

Thursday, Jul 3 at 8:12 AM sick of it wrote ...

It's only going to get worse now that Mitch Daniels has privatized the system. All interviews done over the phone and by mail. It's much easier to lie when not face-to-face. There now is a private company running Indiana's Welfare system with the State just looking on and authorizing benefits.

Thursday, Jul 3 at 7:54 AM Eyes wide open wrote ...

Here is the perfect example that the system needs to be changed. My son had $270 taken from his tax check for child support he DIDN'T owe but yet others can scam the system for 5 years ?? Give me a break !! Time to go back to Free Cheese, Eggs & Bread. Anything else you go get a freakin job !!

Thursday, Jul 3 at 7:09 AM joe wrote ...

if you are a hard worker and get down on your luck the state kicks you in the --- but the sceaming ones get all the help they ask for i know i have a doughterinlaw like that they are called cons because they can con anyone we have to pay our way and theres

Thursday, Jul 3 at 3:47 AM michigonian wrote ...

Can't they pay her bond with food stamps? Two for one? And she should only be imprisoned for a maximum of two years and then she should be cut off....

Thursday, Jul 3 at 2:52 AM Goshen wrote ...

Just another example of our tax dollars at work. They need to fix the system. There is no reason for anyone to lay up on the system for 5 years. I was a single parent I had no car but I managed to find work and walked to work for years rain , cold and heat. I did not go down and get public aide except for a few times when I got sick and missed work I would go to a food pantry so my kids could eat. Guess some people enjoy working the system while the rest of us work jobs to support them.

Wednesday, Jul 2 at 10:08 PM What about the "dad"? wrote ...

He was a willing participant, why is he not being arrested also?

Wednesday, Jul 2 at 7:26 PM About time wrote ...

My husband has a co-worker who's son and live in girlfriend milk the system the same way. He makes six figures, much of it cash on the side for concrete work and she is on every prgroam imaginable for her and her kids, they get food stamps, welfare, medicaid, etc and manage to get away with it because they are not married. Glad at least this couple got caught.

Wednesday, Jul 2 at 7:24 PM Lori wrote ...

The problem is when they are cut of they go to work and then after a few months get right back on it. Some people are just lazy. We pay thousands of tax dollars for what? So people can have 5 kids and scam the system. They should of been fixed after the state paid for 1 child. Where is the systems head. ???? Laws need to change for the hard workers of the U.S.

Wednesday, Jul 2 at 5:40 PM Berrien County Resident wrote ...

Geez, just think that's only one person caught for welfare fraud. I'm sure 40-50% here in MI could have comitted some fraud too! Sad, it's tough enough to feed one's own children with no health insurance and these welfare scums suck whatever we do make for full coverage of EVERYTHING! I'm not saying all welfare recips are bad, but if the shoe fits and you are offended...I guess the shoe fits and you are negligent as well! SAD, JUST PLAIN OLE' SAD...WE SUFFER AND THEY GET THE $$$

Wednesday, Jul 2 at 5:39 PM Topeka wrote ...

This is sickening! I lived with my parents (but I paid for everything for my 2 kids and myself) and welfare refused to even help with food stamps b/c I "made too much" at not even $20000! This cheating person needs to get prison time and pay every cent back that we've had to take from our own families to pay for her to mooch off of welfare!

Wednesday, Jul 2 at 5:11 PM Goshen wrote ...

$191,000 over five years? Thats over $38,000 a year!! Christ, I think I'll take that deal!

Wednesday, Jul 2 at 4:53 PM Indiana wrote ...

So I have to pay for the money lost AND her to sit in jail for it? Nope, give her 5 years to pay it off, every penny back.

Wednesday, Jul 2 at 4:23 PM Chfris wrote ...

How about something other than a slap on the wrist. Prison time, restitution to the taxpayers. People like this hurt those who really need help.

Wednesday, Jul 2 at 4:08 PM barb wrote ...

Time to catch all these thieves that we pay for!! Throw the book at her, scum.

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