Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Social service worker kept $10,676 in disability support program overpayments


Pleaded guilty to defrauding the province

By MARIA CALABRESE The Nugget

A government worker preyed on the poorest in the province by stealing $10,676 in repayments from 19 different disabled residents receiving social assistance.

Catherine Chaput, 46, pleaded guilty Tuesday to defrauding the Ministry of Community and Social Services by expropriating funds from the Ontario Disability Support Program between Oct. 12, 2006 and July 16, 2009.

Chaput will be sentenced May 3 so probation services can prepare a report for the judge to learn more about her background.

North Bay Police Service arrested her in June 2010 after receiving complaints of an employee stealing funds.
The Ontario Disability Support Program helps people with disabilities pay for living expenses like food and housing, according to the ministry website.

It says support is based on family size, income, assets and housing costs and can help with benefits for drugs, dental work, vision, hearing aids, transportation costs to medical appointments and other items or services.
An agreed statement of facts says 19 residents tried to give 30 support program overpayments back to the province.

It says Chaput admitted to defrauding the province by keeping the overpayments, leaving no record for the clients on assistance who repaid the money.

North Bay Nugget - Woman gets 60 days for ODSP fraud

www.pressdisplay.com/pressdisplay/viewer.aspx?...
9 Jun 2011 – Catherine Chaput expressed remorse to Judge Jean-Gilles Lebel Wednesday for taking the money at a ... Woman gets 60 days for ODSP fraud ...

Ron Payne
Welfare Legal
Hamilton, Ontario

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