Press release
OKLAHOMA CITY – An investigation by the Oklahoma Department of Human Services (DHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) has led to felony charges of SNAP fraud against a woman in Shawnee, Oklahoma.
The Pottawatomie County district attorney’s office filed charges on Sept. 16, 2015 against Deshawna Gail Wood-Boswell. Wood-Boswell failed to properly report to DHS the number of people living in her household and her household income when she applied for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) food benefits. Between May 13, 2011 and May 31, 2015, Wood-Boswell was issued $25,442 in SNAP benefits she was not eligible to receive.
“Investigating SNAP fraud is one of our priorities,” DHS Inspector General Tony Bryan said. “Most SNAP recipients in Oklahoma abide by the rules. Unfortunately, there are some individuals who seek to defraud the system that is designed to assist low income families.”
On Oct. 10, 2018, Wood-Boswell entered guilty pleas to one count of obtaining SNAP benefits by fraud and four counts of false claims against the state.
Her sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 5, 2018. Obtaining SNAP benefits by fraud is a felony punishable by no more than two years in prison and up to a $5,000 fine.
Filing false claims against the state is a felony punishable by no more than two years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
To report allegations of public assistance fraud, call the DHS OIG statewide fraud hotline at 1-800-784-5887 or email OIGFraud2@okdhs.org.
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