Mary Jane Rico

NORTH WEBSTER — A North Webster woman was arrested on Saturday, July 25, after allegedly committing welfare fraud that amounted to over $50,000 of wrongfully obtained assistance from the government.

According to a probable cause affidavit filed with the Kosciusko County Prosecutor’s Office, Mary J. Rico, 50, 7534 N. SR 13, North Webster, applied for unemployment compensation benefits in Bremen after reporting she had been laid off from her place of employment. Rico began receiving benefits of $390 per week around Jan. 12, 2008.

On about Jan. 31, 2010, Rico reported to the department she had moved to Milford, where she continued to file for and receive benefits sporadically until Oct. 5, 2013. The dates Rico allegedly filed for benefits were Jan. 12, 2008 to May 17, 2008; Aug. 23, 2008 to Oct. 18, 2008; Nov. 29, 2008 to Jan. 3, 2009; Feb. 7, 2009 to April 17, 2010; Oct. 2, 2010 to Nov. 19, 2011; Dec. 24, 2011 to Jan. 21, 2012; Aug. 18, 2012 to Sept. 29, 2012; Dec. 29, 2012; Jan. 12, 2013 to Feb. 26, 2013; and Aug. 24, 2013 to Oct. 5, 2013.

Monica Portillo, fraud investigator for the Indiana Department of Workforce Development, reported Rico was required to submit to the IDOWD vouchers certifying she had remained unemployed, had no earnings or to accurately report the amount of wages during the weeks for which she was claiming benefits.

On Dec. 17, Portillo inspected payroll records relative to Rico at the administration office where she noted weekly earnings from Gulf Stream Coach, JC Manufacturing, Varsity Garcia And Wal-Mart, which corresponded to the weeks in which Rico received unemployment benefits. Rico’s weekly earnings from the employers were reportedly certified by representatives of those employers.

Portillo reported Rico did not report her employment and earnings from the aforementioned employers to the IDOWD and instead reported falsely she was unemployed during the period of weeks in which she applied for benefits. Of the 105 weeks Rico received government assistance, 81 of those weeks Rico was in fact drawing wages from an employer as well.

Rico amassed a total of $27,670 misappropriated funds. Penalty funds were added to the base fraud rate, equaling a total of $52,891 Rico is responsible for.

Rico was booked into the Kosciusko County Jail on one count of welfare fraud, a level 5 felony charge, with a $4,000 bond.