SCITUATE, R.I. (AP) — Rhode Island State Police say they are charging 88 people with fraudulently obtaining welfare benefits for which they were not eligible.
State police Superintendent Col. James Manni said in a statement Thursday that 62 people wanted on outstanding court warrants for felony charges have been arrested over the past two months and charged with fraudulently obtaining public assistance, while an additional 26 people are being sought on similar charges.
He says combined they obtained nearly $500,000 over the past several years after failing to disclose they had outstanding felony warrants against them at the time they applied for public assistance. Federal regulations require all outstanding warrants to be reported on applications for public assistance.
The outstanding felony warrants included a variety of criminal charges ranging from attempted murder to shoplifting.
(Copyright (c) 2026 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)