Latest news with #HUD-assisted
CBS News
14-03-2025
- CBS News
San Francisco city worker, partner accused of $500K welfare scam
A San Francisco city employee and her partner are facing multiple charges for allegedly defrauding public agencies out of $500,000 in welfare, including Section 8 housing and childcare benefits, prosecutors said. San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins announced that 49-year-old Maggie Pasigan and 47-year-old Daisy Avalos were arraigned Thursday on charges of grand theft, welfare fraud, money laundering and conspiracy. Both Pasigan and Avalos pleaded not guilty. In a statement, Jenkins thanked multiple agencies, including the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the city's Human Services Agency and Housing Authority, along with local law enforcement, in helping with the two-year investigation. "My office will take action to ensure the integrity of our benefits systems and seek to hold those accountable who would defraud the system for their own personal gain," Jenkins said. Court records show the city's Human Services Agency began investigating Pasigan in 2023 for alleged fraud, saying she did not disclose that Avalos was her domestic partner and Avalos' income as a city employee. The income would have disqualified their household for public benefits. "The defendants' fraudulent actions diverted over $375,000 in taxpayer funds from multiple federal programs, including HUD-assisted housing programs designed to provide safe and affordable housing for low-income families," said Special Agent-In-Charge Robert Lawler of the HUD Office of Inspector General. In addition to the housing benefits, Pasigan and Avalos are accused of receiving more than $30,000 a month in childcare benefits from a nonprofit contractor that stewarded public dollars for childcare and early education. Investigators said the women claimed to have provided childcare to as many as 17 children. Surveillance over several months showed there was no evidence of drop-offs, pickups or any other signs of children under their care. Prosecutors said the pair's next court appearance is Apr. 22, to set a date for the preliminary hearing. Anyone who may have a report of welfare fraud is asked to contact the San Francisco Human Services Agency hotline at 405-557-5771.
Yahoo
14-03-2025
- Yahoo
Women with fake San Francisco childcare center swindled $500K in welfare: DA
SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — Two San Francisco women received more than $500,000 in public welfare benefits while they operated a fake childcare center and lived in subsidized housing, prosecutors said. Maggie Pasigan, 49, and her girlfriend, 47-year-old Daisy Avalos, are now facing charges including grand theft, welfare fraud, money laundering, and conspiracy, according to the district attorney's office. Avalos is a city employee, the DA's office said. The couple appeared in court Thursday and pleaded not guilty. District Attorney Brooke Jenkins said, 'My office will take action to ensure the integrity of our benefits systems and seek to hold those accountable who would defraud the system for their own personal gain.' Pasigan and Avalos falsely claimed that they provided childcare and early childhood education services for 17 kids, prosecutors said. A two-month-long investigation into Pasigan and Avalos revealed the children did not exist, prosecutors said. They received over $30,000 every month in childcare subsidies from a nonprofit organization contracted by the City of San Francisco, according to the DA's office. Pasigan and Avalos are domestic partners, according to the DA's office. The San Francisco Human Services Agency became suspicious in 2023 when they discovered that Pasigan never disclosed the fact that Avalos was a city employee who earned regular income, and she was Pasigan's partner, according to the DA's office. 'Such income would have disqualified the household for public benefits, which are intended to assist only low-income families,' the DA's office wrote. 'The defendants' fraudulent actions diverted over $375,000 in taxpayer funds from multiplefederal programs, including HUD-assisted housing programs designed to provide safe andaffordable housing for low-income families,' said Robert Lawler of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Inspector General. Investigators conducted surveillance for months of the couple's 'childcare center.' Prosecutors said there was no evidence of any children being present, dropped off, or picked up. In total, the couple's conspiracy and fraud swindled more than $500,000 in public benefits from San Francisco, according to investigators. Thursday is last day to drive along SF's Great Highway Jenkins said, 'I would like to thank the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, the San Francisco Human Services Agency, and the San Francisco Housing Authority for their hard work and collaboration in this case with San Francisco Police and the San Francisco Sheriff's Office to expose this fraud.' Pasigan and Avalos' next court appearance is scheduled for April 22. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
