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<blockquote data-quote="Billybob" data-source="post: 1880851" data-attributes="member: 1294"><p>This article has been removed from archives at the news site but the second article appears to confirm the first. </p><p></p><p></p><p>DHS worker appears in court</p><p>By SARAH LEWERS/Daily Herald Staff Writer</p><p>Tuesday, November 15, 2005 10:50 AM CST</p><p></p><p>Oklahoma Department of Human Services employee Selene Belden, 32, of Guymon, appeared Monday in court for a status hearing concerning her felony computer fraud charges.</p><p>Belden, a social services specialist II with OKDHS, was arrested Oct. 3 and charged with 11 felony counts of computer fraud.</p><p></p><p>Charges stem from accusations by law enforcement she used her position to fraudulently obtain benefits from OKDHS.</p><p></p><p>Information filed in the case reflects Belden is accused of pilfering at least $30,674 in Temporary Aid to Needy Families (TANF) benefits and $6,754 in food stamps over a 17-month period.</p><p></p><p>Belden appeared subdued while her lawyer, Christopher J. Liebman, agreed to a preliminary hearing Jan. 25, 2006 at 9:30 a.m.</p><p>A preliminary hearing is held to determine whether enough evidence is present to warrant a trial.</p><p></p><p>Liebman told District Court of Texas County Associate Judge Ryan D. Reddick information pertaining to the case is in the hands of third-parties and not yet available.</p><p></p><p>Reddick set the date for the preliminary hearing, saying evidence and testimony about the allegations to determine if Belden should stand trial would be presented at that time. He continued her $20,000 bond, previously reduced from $50,000, until the preliminary hearing.</p><p></p><p>Court documents reflect Belden is accused of using fraudulent information to open 11 OKDHS cases and illegally obtain benefits in the form of food stamps and TANF funds.</p><p></p><p>The cases under scrutiny bear a remarkable similarity to one another, according to court documents:</p><p></p><p><strong>Each was opened as a child-only case with an illegal alien listed as head of household and no absent parent information listed.</strong></p><p><strong></strong></p><p><strong>Each was backdated to issue more benefits.</strong></p><p><strong></strong></p><p><strong>Social security numbers listed either do not belong to the household members used in the cases or have never been issued by the Social Security Administration.</strong></p><p><strong></strong></p><p><strong>Addresses and post office boxes used for the households either do not exist or do not belong to any household members listed.</strong></p><p></p><p>None of the cases were ever placed in application status.</p><p></p><p>None of the paper case files or any information used to determine eligibility are able to be located in records of the Texas County OKDHS.</p><p></p><p>Belden is the assigned social services specialist in each of the 11 cases in question.</p><p></p><p>The OKDHS Office Inspector General (OIG) was notified of inconsistencies in 11 ongoing cases by Texas County OKDHS on Sept. 14.</p><p></p><p>The dates of the charges range from January 2004 to October 2005. Access cards were used to withdraw TANF funds at ATM machines in Guymon and Amarillo, according to information filed by the district attorney's office.</p><p></p><p>OIG agents conducted surveillance Oct. 1 and 2 in Guymon and observed Belden entering Bank of the Panhandle several times, according to court documents.</p><p></p><p>Information filed in the case alleges transactions involving benefit cards issued in the OKDHS cases in question precisely match times Belden was observed at the banking facility.</p><p></p><p>Transactions involving food stamp cards and TANF benefit cards are simultaneously recorded by the OKDHS Information Management System and the JP Morgan computer system. Transaction records reflect both the time of usage and the amount of money withdrawn.</p><p></p><p>TANF was created by the Welfare Reform Law of 1996 and replaced what was previously known as welfare, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services website.</p><p></p><p>It is a cash program with benefits distributed through an access card that functions like an ATM card. TANF is administered in Oklahoma by the OKDHS through a federal block grant.</p><p></p><p>OKDHS Investigator General Mike Fairless said in a previous interview the card system has been in use since 1997 and this is the first time fraudulent use has been suspected on the part of an OKDHS employee.</p><p></p><p>“This is extremely serious,” Fairless said. “We take employee fraud very seriously.”</p><p></p><p>Each violation of the Computer Crimes Act carries a possible 10 years in a state penitentiary and $5,000 to $10,000 in fines.</p><p></p><p>If convicted on all 11 counts, Belden could face between $55,000 and $110,000 in fines and up to 110 years in prison.</p><p></p><p></p><p><strong>Embezzler Caught Again</strong></p><p></p><p>A former Guymon woman who was tried and convicted for around $50,000 in computer fraud while employed at the Oklahoma Department of Human Services is now being tried for allegedly embezzeling $26,000 from Sand Creek Pipeline Construction. The Guymon Daily Herald reports that Selene Belden, 36, was found guilty and sentenced to 10 years with all except the first six months of said term suspended in the previous case. </p><p></p><p><a href="http://www.kscbnews.net/news/?nk=827" target="_blank">http://www.kscbnews.net/news/?nk=827</a></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Billybob, post: 1880851, member: 1294"] This article has been removed from archives at the news site but the second article appears to confirm the first. DHS worker appears in court By SARAH LEWERS/Daily Herald Staff Writer Tuesday, November 15, 2005 10:50 AM CST Oklahoma Department of Human Services employee Selene Belden, 32, of Guymon, appeared Monday in court for a status hearing concerning her felony computer fraud charges. Belden, a social services specialist II with OKDHS, was arrested Oct. 3 and charged with 11 felony counts of computer fraud. Charges stem from accusations by law enforcement she used her position to fraudulently obtain benefits from OKDHS. Information filed in the case reflects Belden is accused of pilfering at least $30,674 in Temporary Aid to Needy Families (TANF) benefits and $6,754 in food stamps over a 17-month period. Belden appeared subdued while her lawyer, Christopher J. Liebman, agreed to a preliminary hearing Jan. 25, 2006 at 9:30 a.m. A preliminary hearing is held to determine whether enough evidence is present to warrant a trial. Liebman told District Court of Texas County Associate Judge Ryan D. Reddick information pertaining to the case is in the hands of third-parties and not yet available. Reddick set the date for the preliminary hearing, saying evidence and testimony about the allegations to determine if Belden should stand trial would be presented at that time. He continued her $20,000 bond, previously reduced from $50,000, until the preliminary hearing. Court documents reflect Belden is accused of using fraudulent information to open 11 OKDHS cases and illegally obtain benefits in the form of food stamps and TANF funds. The cases under scrutiny bear a remarkable similarity to one another, according to court documents: [B]Each was opened as a child-only case with an illegal alien listed as head of household and no absent parent information listed. Each was backdated to issue more benefits. Social security numbers listed either do not belong to the household members used in the cases or have never been issued by the Social Security Administration. Addresses and post office boxes used for the households either do not exist or do not belong to any household members listed.[/B] None of the cases were ever placed in application status. None of the paper case files or any information used to determine eligibility are able to be located in records of the Texas County OKDHS. Belden is the assigned social services specialist in each of the 11 cases in question. The OKDHS Office Inspector General (OIG) was notified of inconsistencies in 11 ongoing cases by Texas County OKDHS on Sept. 14. The dates of the charges range from January 2004 to October 2005. Access cards were used to withdraw TANF funds at ATM machines in Guymon and Amarillo, according to information filed by the district attorney's office. OIG agents conducted surveillance Oct. 1 and 2 in Guymon and observed Belden entering Bank of the Panhandle several times, according to court documents. Information filed in the case alleges transactions involving benefit cards issued in the OKDHS cases in question precisely match times Belden was observed at the banking facility. Transactions involving food stamp cards and TANF benefit cards are simultaneously recorded by the OKDHS Information Management System and the JP Morgan computer system. Transaction records reflect both the time of usage and the amount of money withdrawn. TANF was created by the Welfare Reform Law of 1996 and replaced what was previously known as welfare, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services website. It is a cash program with benefits distributed through an access card that functions like an ATM card. TANF is administered in Oklahoma by the OKDHS through a federal block grant. OKDHS Investigator General Mike Fairless said in a previous interview the card system has been in use since 1997 and this is the first time fraudulent use has been suspected on the part of an OKDHS employee. “This is extremely serious,” Fairless said. “We take employee fraud very seriously.” Each violation of the Computer Crimes Act carries a possible 10 years in a state penitentiary and $5,000 to $10,000 in fines. If convicted on all 11 counts, Belden could face between $55,000 and $110,000 in fines and up to 110 years in prison. [B]Embezzler Caught Again[/B] A former Guymon woman who was tried and convicted for around $50,000 in computer fraud while employed at the Oklahoma Department of Human Services is now being tried for allegedly embezzeling $26,000 from Sand Creek Pipeline Construction. The Guymon Daily Herald reports that Selene Belden, 36, was found guilty and sentenced to 10 years with all except the first six months of said term suspended in the previous case. [url]http://www.kscbnews.net/news/?nk=827[/url] [/QUOTE]
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