Press Releases
12/28/2022
Two Connecticut Women Charged with Scamming Public Assistance Program
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Rocky Hill, CT) – Two Connecticut women were arrested today and charged, in unrelated incidents, with stealing a combined $8,458 from a program financed by the Connecticut Department of Social Services.
Christina Burgos, age 36, of Hartford, and Emily Guzman, age 29, of Bloomfield, were arrested by Inspectors from the Statewide Prosecution Bureau of the Office of the Chief State's Attorney on separate warrants. Burgos was charged with Larceny in the First Degree in violation of Connecticut General Statutes §53a-122 and False Statement in the Second Degree in violation of Connecticut General Statutes §53a-157b and Guzman was charged with Larceny in the First Degree in violation of Connecticut General Statutes §53a-122.
According to the arrest warrant affidavit for Christina Burgos, Burgos received $6,218 in benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) that she was not entitled to receive from June 2021 to February 2022 because she failed to report income, which resulted from a change in her employment status in order to continue to qualify for SNAP benefits. Additionally, she submitted a Renewal of Eligibility form with false information. Burgos was released on a $10,000 non-surety bond and is scheduled to appear in Hartford Superior Court, G.A. No. 14, on January 5, 2023.
According to the arrest warrant affidavit for Emily Guzman, Guzman received $2,240 in benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) that she was not entitled to receive from August 2021 to September 2022. Guzman is alleged to have failed to report a legally liable relative (“LLR”) that she was residing with, along with the LLR’s income, in order to receive additional SNAP benefits. Guzman was released on a $10,000 non-surety bond and is scheduled to appear in Hartford Superior Court, G.A. No. 14, on January 5, 2023.
The charges in both matters are merely accusations and Burgos and Guzman are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The Connecticut Department of Social Services investigative division submitted the arrest warrant applications for both Burgos and Guzman’s arrest. The cases are being prosecuted by Senior Assistant State’s Attorney Susan Hatfield of the Statewide Prosecution Bureau.