Erie County Woman Pleads Guilty to Committing Welfare Fraud After Concealing Income from Erie County Department of Social Services in Order to Obtain SNAP Benefits

The Office of New York State Inspector General Lucy Lang today announced the guilty plea and sentencing of an Erie County resident who was found to have stolen more than $7,000 in SNAP benefits she was not entitled to receive.

Elizabeth Long, 50, of Buffalo, pled guilty today before Judge Carrie Phillips in Buffalo City Court to Welfare Fraud in the Fifth Degree (a Class A Misdemeanor) and was sentenced to a one-year conditional discharge which requires her to pay full restitution.

An investigation by the Inspector General found that Long worked at a food and hospitality company while collecting food stamps and submitted written certifications to the Erie County Department of Social Services stating that she was not working or receiving any income. The misrepresentations caused her to wrongfully receive SNAP benefits in the amount of $7,578.

The Offices of the Inspector General thank the Erie County Department of Social Services for their participation in the investigation and Erie County District Attorney John Flynn and his office for prosecuting this case.