Posted on 03/27/2014 6:42:21 PM PDT by kcvl
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn.- A nationwide warrant is out for a Minnesota couple who allegedly received over $167,000 in public assistance while living on a $1.2 million yacht in Palm Beach, Florida, reports CBS Minnesota.
“These rich folks ripped off the system,” Attorney Mike Freeman said at a Friday news conference. “We are going to do every darn thing we can to make sure they do hard time,” said Freeman.
Colin Chisholm III, 62, and Andrea Chisholm, 54, are facing one count of wrongfully obtaining public assistance of more than $35,000, which is a felony charge. The couple's whereabouts are currently unknown.
"I've never ridden on a yacht that nice, and I bet most of us haven't, but they were living on it while they were collecting public assistance," said Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman.
The couple illegally received public assistance from several government programs designed to help the poor between Jan. 1, 2005 and May 31, 2012, according to the Hennepin County Attorney's Office.
CBS Minnesota reports that criminal complaints claim the Chisholms received medical assistance, welfare payments and food stamp benefits while allegedly lying about where they were living, who they were living with and their source of income on over a dozen forms filled out for the state of Minnesota and Hennepin County in order to get the assistance.
An investigation by the Hennepin County Human Services & Public Health Department (HSPHD) Fraud Unit revealed that Colin Chisholm concealed dealing with hundreds of thousands of dollars as chief executive officer of the TCN Network, which claims to provide satellite TV and broadband service for Caribbean countries. Andrea Chisholm reportedly owned a dog kennel which bred and sold championship dogs.
"He created all sorts of false companies, claimed he was a Scottish heir," Freeman said. "
(Excerpt) Read more at cbs12.com ...
Colin Chisholm III and his wife Andrea, who received over $165,000 in public assistance from the state of Minnesota between 2005 and 2012 while living on a yacht in Florida, have been charged with fraud, and a manhunt is underway to find them.
The charges against Colin Chisholm were filed in February but not made public because police had been searching for the Chisholms. His wife was only charged last Tuesday. Chuck Laszewski, a spokesman for prosecutor Mike Freeman, said Friday, “They know by now we are looking for them.”
The threshold for public assistance in Minnesota is $35,000; the Chisholms are each charged with a felony for exceeding that. The Chisholms bought a $1.2 million yacht, The Andrea Aras, in 2005. Their claims for benefits were made just prior to that date. While they lived in Palm Beach, Florida, they told the state they were still living in Minnesota. Between 2005 and 2012 they deposited more than $2.6 million in bank accounts which were not listed on their applications for welfare benefits.
http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2014/03/23/Couple-Rips-Off-Minnesota-for-Benefits
So was the only thing that made them not eligible that they were in Florida?
Democrat donors
Did democrats get their vote? If so it was money well spent. What is the problem?
Let’s lock up the 535 perps and freeloaders that live 600 miles north of Florida.
no difference from what Solyandra did.
Gee the thing about a yacht is it could easily float out to oh say another jurisdiction beyond this nationwide man and wife hunt where extradition for welfare fraud might be difficult.
We are going to do every darn thing we can to make sure they do hard time,”
Taxpayers were paying for 3 hots and a cot and when they go to prison, taxpayers will still be paying for 3 hots and a cot. So how exactly are the taxpayers going to get their money back?
$167,000 ?
Is that all ?
would seem wiser to fine them heavily and let them go
How are they more criminal than the aliens poring across the former borders of the U.S. to steal taxpayers (the dwindling 30-40%) blind through the same types of programs?
Just asking....
I don’t see how there’s a problem here ...unless maybe they’re white.
Is this a great country or what?
Rich and white. Perfect example of the typical welfare abusers.
Hey, they’re the new “poor rich” and need public support like every one else.
Who the heck is Minnesota to tell them they aren’t entitled to welfare and EBT benefits?
Appearances are just that - appearances.
Nobody robs banks anymore. There are too many people doing this type of thing. Jail doesn’t scare them enough. Unfortunately, I think we are going to have to hang some of them to put an end to this epidemic of stealing.
The prosecutor sounded almost wistful when talking about their whereabouts ... “someplace warm” ... and of course the yacht was a ‘stink pot’ ... a really classy welfare fraudster would have chosen a sailing yacht. I wonder if Nobama would accept a nice early retirement package including a yacht ... nah ... his job as demolition man is not yet done. The first family (hard to type that) are basically a giant welfare scam themselves ... at least the Chisholms just want to have a good time on our dime ... the Nobamas want that plus the destruction of the U.S. ... easy to see who are the worse criminals!
I said "moderately" FReepers. I didn't say she looked like Anna Kournikova.
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