December 7, 2011

GOV. MALLOY STATEMENT ON ONGOING INVESTIGATION OF EMERGENCY FEDERAL FOOD AID PROGRAM

(HARTFORD, CT) - Governor Dannel P. Malloy today released the following statement regarding an update on the investigation into the emergency federal food aid program.

"This afternoon the Department of Social Services and the Office of Labor Relations notified several state agencies that employees within their departments are suspected of filing false and misleading applications under the D-SNAP program. As a result of DSS's initial review of their first batch of applications, they have referred 15 of them to commissioners for administrative hearings pursuant to procedures established by law and relevant contracts.

"Based on my administration's investigation, it appears clear that the abuses of public trust involved go beyond simply lying about income. In some instances, people lied about assets under their control or even listed a deceased relative as living in the household. Given the information known to us, these were not oversights or honest mistakes. This was outright fraud, and it will not stand.

"The D-SNAP program is designed by the federal government to help low-income people when they need that help most - immediately after a disaster. I will not tolerate anyone who used the devastation of Tropical Storm Irene as an opportunity to defraud the taxpayers of this state.

"I want to be very clear about something - if anyone in state government is aware of any fraud or abuse in any state agency, I want to know about it. Anyone with information should come forward so we can investigate it, and they should do so knowing that there will be no retribution whatsoever.

"I know that culture once existed in state government. It doesn't anymore."

###

For Immediate Release: December 7, 2011

Contact: Andrew Doba

Andrew.Doba@ct.gov

860-524-7308 (office)
860-770-8090 (cell)

Twitter: @GovMalloyOffice

Facebook: Office of Governor Dannel P. Malloy