DA: Pittsburgh woman jailed, got benefits for fake kids
PITTSBURGH (AP) — A Pittsburgh woman has been jailed on charges she collected Pennsylvania state welfare benefits for three children who don’t exist, including a period when she was living in Maryland.
The Allegheny County district attorney announced the theft, forgery and welfare charges Monday against 23-year-old Sabrina Strothers.
The DA says a cousin of Strothers reported her to the state Office of Inspector General in January. Investigators later determined that Strothers claimed to give birth to three children in 2008 name Thomas, Tomalyia and Tyreik Wilson. When investigators checked their Social Security numbers against government records, they determined the numbers belonged to people born in 1887, 1945 and 1960.
Strothers is accused of receiving nearly $130,000 in illegal benefits.
Online court records don’t list an attorney for Strothers, who faces a preliminary hearing Dec. 22.