‘Octomom’ Nadya Suleman hit with additional welfare fraud charge
“Octomom” Nadya Suleman, who drew international attention in 2009 when she gave birth to octuplets, has been charged with an additional count of welfare fraud, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office said Wednesday.
The amended felony complaint includes an additional count of aid by misrepresentation, and alleges Suleman, 38, received nearly $10,000 in Medi-Cal benefits she was not entitled to.
Prosecutors said earlier this month that Suleman received $16,481 in state welfare payments during the first half of 2013 that she would not have been sent had she properly disclosed nearly $30,000 in earnings during that same period. She earned the money from personal appearances and video royalties, prosecutors said.
With the latest charge, the total restitution sought from Suleman is now $26,286.29, according to the statement from the district attorney’s office.
If convicted of all counts -- two counts of aid by misrepresentation and two counts of perjury by false application for aid -- she faces up to six years and four months in jail.
She will be arraigned on the amended complaint at her next court appearance on March 11. Suleman, who has a total of 14 children, is only the second U.S. woman to deliver a healthy set of octuplets.
L.A. County Deputy Dist. Atty. Bill Clark said earlier this month an anonymous tip pointed welfare fraud investigators to Suleman’s case. He said similar cases often end in a settlement, especially if the suspect is able to pay the money back.
Twitter: @Sam_Schaefer
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