Woman ordered
to pay back
$165,000 for
welfare fraud

Hers is the largest among 13
state cases prosecuted since June

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By Kelliann Shimote
kshimote@starbulletin.com

For seven years Victoria Milo of Honolulu collected welfare. She had 11 children. During that time she did not tell welfare officials that the children's' father was living in the house and that he had income, according to state officials.

Last Wednesday, Milo, 46, was sentenced to five years' probation, 60 days in prison, ordered to perform 200 hours of community service and told to pay the state $164,732 in restitution for first-degree theft.

Since June the state has prosecuted 13 welfare fraud cases. Milo's case was the largest, while the smallest involved the theft of $7,120 in medical benefits.

"We want the community to know what is going on out there with welfare fraud," said Deputy Attorney General Ricky Damerville. He said many of the cases involved parents. And when parents are sent to prison, some children are put in the care of a family member, while others are sent to foster homes.

Damerville also said many of the defendants are women who either lie about their income or are coerced into doing so by their boyfriends or husbands.

"If they just told the truth, some of them would qualify for benefits," Damerville said.

"There is always an opportunity before you sign that (application for public assistance) form to decide you are not going to lie."

Some of the cases prosecuted this summer include:

> Althia Chandler, 43, of Waianae, pleaded no contest to one count of theft for collecting more than $92,000 in public assistance benefits.

> Silivelia Uila, 34, of Waipahu, pleaded no contest to collecting more than $53,000 in public assistance benefits.

> Tawana Miles pleaded no contest to one count of first-degree theft. She was sentenced to five years' probation and ordered to pay $51,123 in restitution and perform 200 hours of community service.

> Russell Hernandez, 38, and Gerald Forchuk, 57, of Waikiki pleaded no contest to second-degree theft for obtaining more than $39,000 in public assistance benefits.

> Matilda Beltran, 40, of Wahiawa, was sentenced to a five-year prison term for one count of second-degree theft. She was ordered to pay the state $34,195 in restitution.

> Laurie Ann Apolo, 23, of Honolulu, was placed on probation for five years and ordered to pay the state $28,806 in restitution and perform 100 hours of community service.

> Ronald Labasan, 34, of Makaha, pleaded no contest on two counts of theft. He stole more than $19,000 in workers' compensation and personal injury settlements.