A Farmington woman faces felony charges after investigators said she failed to report that the father of her children had been living in her residence, leading to more than $13,000 in housing benefits she would not otherwise have received.
Jennifer Benjamin, 41, was arrested June 25 at the Ontario County Jail following an investigation into a Geneva Housing Authority fraud referral, according to a press release from the Ontario County Sheriff's Office.
Benjamin was charged with six counts of first-degree offering a false instrument for filing, third-degree welfare fraud and third-degree grand larceny.
Investigators said Benjamin failed to disclose that Felix Cruz Jr. had been living in her residence since 2022. Authorities said Benjamin would have received $13,315 less in housing benefits from the Geneva Housing Authority if Cruz had been properly reported as living there.
Benjamin was arraigned in Ontario County CAP Court and released on pretrial release. She is scheduled to appear July 2 at 9 a.m. in Geneva City Court to answer the charges.
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