He said they had used their personal employee access codes at North Central Organized Regionally for Total Health Inc. between 2001 and 2007 to create fraudulent Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program checks and passed them at grocery stores and markets for infant formula, cash, or both.
The defendants worked as nutrition assistants and met with potential WIC recipients to determine if they were eligible, officials said.
"More than $375,000 of taxpayer money that was intended for needy mothers and their young children was lost as a result of this scheme," said Corbett, who is seeking the GOP nomination for governor.
"What we have found is a great deal of lack of supervision and oversight at many different levels. There will be referrals of this to the Auditor General's Office to audit the whole system," Corbet said. "There is a fair amount of money that is going to individuals who are stealing away from children and mothers who could really use these services."
A grand jury determined that one employee, Mikiba Carter, was "most adept" at creating the fake checks and taught the others how to make their own, officials said. All the defendants live in Philadelphia.
They will be prosecuted in Dauphin County because the money for the WIC program comes through the state treasury there, Corbett said.
Arrested were Carter, 43, of the 1800 block of Conestoga Street; Gail Polk, 53, of the 4800 block of North Warnock Street; Takarra Scott, 31, of the 3400 block of Old York Road; Crystal Gray, 43, of the 1100 block of 54th Street; Melvin Jones, 40, of the first block of West Sharpnack Street; and Tasha Riddick, 37, of the 1700 block of Georges Lane.
Each was charged with one count of theft by unlawful taking, one count of theft by deception, one count of receiving stolen property, one count of tampering with public records or information, and one count of criminal conspiracy.
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