Friday, August 05, 2011

Illinois Welfare Director Imprisoned for Stealing Welfare Funds

The Chicago Way has gone suburban.
A former northwest suburban township official was sentenced Wednesday to six years in prison after admitting she stole nearly $200,000 meant for the needy to pay for personal expenses, including her daughter's Sweet 16 birthday party.

Aurea Picasso, 45, formerly of Aurora, pleaded guilty to one count of theft of government funds before Judge Vincent Gaughan imposed the sentence. She has been in jail awaiting trial since her arrest last October, one day before her scheduled release from prison on an unrelated identity theft conviction.

Picasso worked six years for Hanover Township as welfare director, providing welfare checks to the needy and running a food pantry. Her position gave her access to the township's checkbooks as well as a checking account provided by the Salvation Army for emergencies.

Prosecutors said Picasso wrote $124,560 in checks from those accounts to pay for dental work, car insurance, cellphones and other bills, prosecutors said. She also signed up family, friends and others for welfare benefits through the township, then forged their signatures on $68,550 in checks and deposited them in her personal bank account.

At the time she was hired in 2003, Picasso was awaiting trial on charges she stole $25,000 in state welfare funds during her previous job as a caseworker for the Illinois Department of Human Services. She pleaded guilty later that year and was sentenced to two years of probation, records show.
Obviously that was a resume enhancer.

6 comments:

Randy-g said...

Illinois deserves what it gets. Including Barry the thug.

A_Nonny_Mouse said...

Hanover Township *might* want to revamp its hiring policies.  Specifically, perhaps it would be advisable to add some verbiage regarding "Prior Arrests and Convictions". 

Just a thought.

fiatlux said...

Uh, you may think I'm joking but San Francisco supervisors are working to make it illegal to check on an applicant's criminal record or use knowledge of a criminal past against them in the hiring decision.

Soon, you won't have to worry about "resume enhancers" in SF, you probably won't be able to ask for a resume. Obviously, any standard discriminates against someone.

rich b said...

<span>fiatlux - As soon as you mentioned the People's Republik Of San Francisco I KNEW you weren't joking. The entire city is fucking insane. They'll get what they deserve if the resume shit happens. Google the Bologna murders and San Francisco to see some of that very insanity in action.  
 
My guess is you're probably already familiar with the tragedy and murder of a Father and his Sons because of the "Sanctuary City" policies of the "Pantloads By The Bay". The so-called leaders up there have blood on their hands and yet they are entirely unaccountable for their irresponsibility because of legalities and politics. Tragic.</span>

southernsue said...

the people that hired her probably are theifs too.

you know, they all steal and cheat in illinois, it's their way.
just look at the people they elect, all criminals.

FrankG said...

no mention of her political affiliation?. We know what that means