Baldwin woman charged with stealing nearly $100K in childcare benefits through false income reports
MINEOLA, NY — A 43-year-old Baldwin woman has been accused of falsifying income and employment records to secure almost $100,000 in childcare benefits she was not entitled to receive, prosecutors announced Wednesday.
According to the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office, Shamika Brown was arraigned on October 1 before Judge Ryan Cronin on charges of grand larceny in the second degree, welfare fraud in the second degree, and five counts of offering a false instrument for filing. She pleaded not guilty and was released on her own recognizance. Brown is scheduled to return to court on October 9. If convicted, she faces up to 15 years in prison.
Prosecutors allege Brown applied for benefits through the Nassau County Department of Social Services in May 2019, claiming she earned $25,000 annually from a Brooklyn business called Hair Studio. She allegedly submitted fabricated payroll documents from that business for her original application and for subsequent recertifications over a four-year period.
Investigators later determined Hair Studio was not a legitimate business, and the payroll records Brown provided were fraudulent. Authorities allege Brown failed to report actual employment with American Express, Amazon, and a consulting firm, where she earned between $128,000 and $319,000 annually.
As a result, prosecutors say Brown received $99,687 in overpaid childcare benefits between June 2019 and June 2023. She surrendered to investigators on October 1.
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District Attorney Anne Donnelly said Brown’s actions undermined programs meant to help families in need. “These benefits exist to help families who truly need financial support, not high-earning residents who dishonestly try to offset their childcare costs,” Donnelly said.
The case is being prosecuted by the DA’s Major Financial Frauds Bureau. Brown is represented by attorney Eric Prusan.
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Key Points
- Shamika Brown, 43, allegedly falsified income records to collect nearly $100,000 in childcare benefits
- Investigators say she concealed employment with Amazon, American Express, and a consulting firm while submitting fake payroll documents
- Brown pleaded not guilty and was released; she faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted