DSS Charges Berkeley County Woman With Food Stamp Fraud

GOOSE CREEK, S.C. – A Berkeley County woman accused of fraudulently receiving food stamps is facing several charges.

Octavia Lashay Rivers, 40, of Goose Creek has been charged with one count of fraudulent acquisition
or use of food stamps valued $10,000 or more and one count of forgery, value less than $10,000.

On Feb. 29, 2024, Special Agents with the South Carolina Department of Social Services, Office of Inspector General, arrested Rivers in connection with fraudulently receiving $13,941 in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.

According to an arrest warrant, between Jan. 1, 2021 to June 30, 2022, Rivers fraudulently received Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, based on the submission of three annual certification forms dated Jan. 26, 2021; July 16, 2021; and Dec. 15, 2021.

Authorities said Rivers intentionally underreported her wages from CareAlliance Health services during the benefit period. As a result, she received an overpayment of nearly $14,000 in SNAP benefits that she was not entitled to receive.

Rivers was booked at the Berkeley County Detention Center. The case will be prosecuted by the Ninth Judicial Circuit Solicitor’s Office.

Reports of fraud can be made to the South Carolina Department of Social Services, Office of Inspector General, at https://dss.sc.gov/about/fraud/ or call 1-800-694-8518.

The post DSS Charges Berkeley County Woman With Food Stamp Fraud first appeared on The Berkeley Observer .