Charges filed in welfare fraud case

BROWN COUNTY - Food stamps and medical assistance are supposed to be for people in need. But prosecutors say more and more people are taking advantage of the system.

Take the case of 36-year-old Angela Burchett who is charged with two counts of public assistance fraud. She allegedly received $22,403.18 in taxpayer funded benefits while her husband was holding down a job.

There has not been a final ruling in this case about whether Burchett committed any wrongdoing because the case is still working its way through the legal system.

But according to the criminal complaint against Angela Burchett, her husband Bradley Burchett was making $31 an hour working for Canadian National Railroad. He had health insurance and worked 40 to 50 hours a week. That means he was bringing home $64,480 to $80,600.

But while he was working, prosecutors say taxpayers were paying for some of his family's food and health care.

"They were well over the income limits," said Jenny Hoffman, a supervisor with Brown County Human Services. The agency administers Food Share, Badger Care and child care programs in Brown County.

Hoffman says when Angela Burchett applied for benefits she only listed herself and her children as living in their Wrightstown home. But investigators claim Burchett's husband was also living there.

"They need to answer the questions truthfully and let us determine whether or not what they tell us is going to affect benefits," Hoffman said.

Angela Burchett's attorney declined our request for an interview. FOX 11 On Special Assignment also wanted to talk with Burchett but she is currently in the Winnebago County jail. She's being held on four charges there including trying to obtain a controlled substance by fraud.

According to the complaint in the public assistance fraud case, Angela Burchett says she "...had marital problems with her husband..." and told her case workers that "...she was separated from her husband and had no income."

But in an interview with investigators, Bradley Burchett said he stayed at the home "...three times a week every two or three weeks."

His "...property and belongings..." were in the home. It was his "...permanent address and where his mail was delivered..."

FOX 11 On Special Assignment tried to contact the Bradley Burchett at the address listed for the family but no one answered. FOX 11 On Special Assignment could not locate a working telephone number for Bradley Burchett.

According to the complaint against Angela Burchett, she told an investigator the couple field "...joint tax returns..." and Bradley "...supplied money and ate food..." at the home which was "...purchased with Food Stamps."

The complaint goes to say investigators asked Burchett if she found it "...strange..." that she used her husband's health insurance and Badger Care at the same time. Burchett told investigators, "It was helpful."

"Under our guidelines, the investigator and the team did their job to prove that he was residing in the home and so in this instance we were able to refer the case to the district attorney," Hoffman said.

FOX 11 On Special Assignment spoke with long-time prosecutor John Zakowski about the case in January before he took the bench as a Brown County judge.

"These people are told explicitly what they can and can't do and what the rules are," Zakowski told FOX 11 On Special Assignment back in January.

"If you have a case where somebody says I'm only there part of the time but if they're using the same P.O. Box, the same address, all correspondence is there and that's really the only place where they're resting their head except when they're on the road, quite frankly, I think the common sense approach is that's where that person is living. Therefore, it's incumbent upon the person that's applying for aid to list that person," Zakowski said in January.

Hoffman says cases like this end up hurting the people who need public assistance the most.

"It does bother me because it really takes away from those that are in need and we really need to help the families and children in our community with our programs," Hoffman said.

Angela Burchett will be back in court later this month.

How much fraud is out there? Last year, investigators in Brown County found $770,000 in benefits that should not have been paid out. Investigators looked at 192 cases of possible fraud. But in more than half of those cases, they did not find fraud.

If you know someone who getting benefits they're not entitled to, fraud investigators would like to hear from you at (920) 448-6378.