Hornell woman faces welfare fraud charges

HORNELL, N.Y. ( WETM ) — A Hornell woman was arrested on welfare fraud charges after allegedly stealing more than $8,000 from Social Services.

Shauna M. Goodwin, 42, was arrested on July 8 following a fraud investigation. According to the Steuben County Sheriff’s Office, Goodwin knowingly gave false documents to the Steuben County Department of Social Services from August 2023 to May 2024. Authorities say that Goodwin received $8,288 that she wasn’t entitled to by presenting these fake documents.

Goodwin was charged with first-degree offering a false instrument for filing (a class E felony), third-degree welfare fraud (a class D felony), third-degree grand larceny (a class D felony), and first-degree falsifying business records (a class E felony).

Goodwin’s charges were read in the Centralized Arraignment Court, and she was released. She will appear in the Village of Bath Court at a later date.

The Steuben County Department of Social Services Fraud and Legal Affairs Unit and the District Attorney’s Office assisted the Steuben County Sheriff’s Office with this investigation.

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