The Madison County Sheriff’s Office has announced the arrest of two county residents on charges of welfare fraud.
On Sept. 4, Matthew W. Gaiser, age 36 of 3269 Lovejoy Road, Madison, was arrested and charged with welfare fraud in the third degree (Class D Felony), welfare fraud in the fourth degree (Class E Felony), grand larceny in the third degree (Class D Felony), grand larceny in the fourth degree (Class E Felony) and two counts of offering a false instrument for filing in the first degree (Class E Felony).
It is alleged that on two occasions, Gaiser committed a fraudulent welfare act when he filed public assistance applications with the Madison County Department of Social Services that contained false information.
On August 10, 2016 and on January 31, 2018, Gaiser filed documents with social services claiming he was unemployed when in fact he had been employed on both occasions. Between September 1, 2016 and September 30, 2017, Gaiser received $3,374 in public assistance and between February 1, 2018 and July 31, 2018, he received $1,332 in public assistance. Gaiser would not have received the $4,706 in public assistance if he had reported that he had been employed.
Gaiser was arraigned at the Town of Lenox Court and was released on his own recognizance. He is scheduled to return to court at a later time to answer the charges.
