State Attorney General Earl Anzai has announced several recent indictments and convictions in welfare fraud cases. Indictments for welfare
fraud cases announcedStar-Bulletin staff
>> Last Thursday, Rachel Rita Ramo and Dennis L. Segovia of Hawaiian Paradise Park were indicted with one count of theft in the first degree for fraudulently obtaining public assistance benefits totaling more than $20,000 while they were residing on Oahu between 1997 and 2000. Ramo and Segovia have pleaded not guilty. A trial is set for Oct. 21.
>> On Aug. 14, an Oahu grand jury returned six unrelated indictments charging seven defendants with felony thefts for fraudulently obtaining public assistance benefits of more than $108,000.
>> On Aug. 12, Circuit Judge Karen S. Ahn denied a request made by Honolulu resident Carolyn Flanders to defer her guilty plea to one count of theft in the second degree.
Ahn convicted Flanders of theft and sentenced her to five years' probation and ordered her to perform 100 hours of community service.
Flanders, who is also known as Carolyn Jorgensen, is required to pay $15,488 in restitution to the state.
Between 1998 and 2000, Flanders fraudulently obtained public assistance benefits by concealing her marriage and her spouse's income and assets from welfare authorities, according to a statement from Anzai earlier this week.
>> On Aug. 8, former Pearl City resident Valerie M. Lepisi was arrested in San Diego by a deputy sheriff concerning an indictment charging her with one count of theft in the second degree.
Lepisi is accused of fraudulently obtaining public assistance benefits while living on Oahu between 1999 and 2000. The state has since requested Lepisi's extradition to Hawaii.