Retirement as a way around D-SNAP investigation?

According to an excellent source within state government, two of the 44 state workers currently under investigation for fraudulently receiving federal disaster aid have chosen to retire rather than face discipline/termination.

Gov. Dannel Malloy’s administration in early December launched an ongoing probe into allegations public workers improperly applied for and received low income Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP) funds.

The benefits were distributed in September by the state Department of Social Services to victims of Tropical Storm Irene.

Around 24,000 households – including 800 state employees – received an average of $700.

The state’s fraud investigation has since been widened to the private sector.

Under state ethics laws it might be possible to ask a judge to go after retired state workers’ pensions were they found guilty of fraud. But my source indicated that would likely be deemed overkill by a court.


An attorney representing 17 of the accused state workers has argued they never intended to mislead anyone and got bad info from DSS workers. The attorney – Richard Rochlin – unsuccessfully suggested to Malloy his clients be allowed to return the D-SNAP money in exchange for the matter being dropped.

UPDATE: Read our detailed story on the latest D-SNAP developments, including the retirements, which actually total 3.

Brian Lockhart