Wisconsin Man Accused of Obtaining Minnesota Welfare Benefits
Hastings, MN (MinnesotaNow)- The State of Minnesota paid out thousands of dollars in public assistance benefits to a man living in Wisconsin.
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That’s according to a criminal complaint filed in Dakota County Court on Thursday. He is accused of fraudulently obtaining Minnesota benefits for multiple years.
38-year-old Riley Michael Cullifer of Prescott, WI is charged with one count of felony theft.
Wisconsin Man Accused of Lying About His Residence to Obtain Minnesota Welfare Benefits
The complaint says he claimed on an application for public assistance benefits to be living at a residence in Hastings since May 31 of 2022 and paying $500 in monthly rent but had his mail sent to a home in Prescott.
The Dakota County Sheriff’s Office, which had started investigating him for welfare fraud, also noted most of the benefits were spent in Prescott, the complaint says.
Detectives then spoke with the landlord of the property Cullifer purported to be living at. The landlord stated they know Cullifer and said he does not live at their property, the court document says.
Cullifer initially told detectives he lives at the address in Hastings, but later stated he had asked if he could use the address to obtain Minnesota welfare benefits without having to move to Hastings and to continue living in Prescott, according to the complaint.
The court document says he has been living in Prescott since at least March of 2022.
Investigation Reveals Fraudulently Obtained SNAP, MSA & Medical Assistance Dollars
The investigation found the State of Minnesota approved Cullifer to receive SNAP and Minnesota Supplemental Aid (MSA) payments in March of 2023.
He started receiving the Minnesota public assistance funds in June of 2023 and continued being paid benefits through July of last year, the complaint says.
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Detectives found Cullifer had been paid $1,167 in SNAP benefits since March of 2023. He had also received MSA and Medical Assistance dollars during that time, according to the court document.
The complaint also indicates Cullifer was paid out at least $3,315 in MSA from January through June of last year.
Cullifer is being charged by summons and is due to make his first court appearance next month.
