Why The Octomom Welfare Fraud Prosecution Is Idiotic
Octomom is accused of failing to report $30,000 in earnings in one year which allowed her to continue to receive welfare benefits for her family of 14. She didn't earn enough the year before or after to violate the rule. An investigation was launched after tabloids publicly reported her income. She faces five years in jail if convicted.
Already the state has spent about $25K in the investigation. If the case goes to trial the state will spend another $50K minimum.
According to an LA Times article, the CA the government sets aside about $2000 per child per month in foster care. That includes about $800 per month that goes to the foster parent. If Nadya is convicted of the crime and sentenced to the maximum her kids would likely end up in foster care. 14 kids. 60 months. 840 months total at $2000 per month. $1,680,000.00 is how much the taxpayers of California would have to pay. Minimum. Many of the kids are special needs children and require expensive care. Plus, the 14 kids would be split. Plus the children would be in danger of increased abuse and many other factors that can't be calculated.
There is also the cost of incarcerating and then the parole and probation of Octomom. There will be the additional costs of hearings after her release to get her children back. Potentially, taxpayers are looking at millions of dollars out of their pockets for her making an extra $30,000 in one year. Ridiculous. I understand the need to punish the crime but someone needs to look at this realistically and not just grab for headlines.
Wait, what? She has 14 kids?!?!
ReplyDeleteI think this should have been done a while back. She's been a grifter for a LONG time.
ReplyDeleteSo....whats the lesser of 2 evils her staying out of jail and raising these kids and collecting welfare? That's better for them???
ReplyDeleteHow does she still have custody of the kids? How can anyone manage 24/7 care of 14 children?
ReplyDeleteThat whole "reporting the 200 grand" she got for the porno may have had something to do with it
ReplyDeleteIt is amazing that mental patient has held on to her kids this long. Welfare fraud seems like a fine excuse to remove them from that moron and give them a shot at growing up human.
ReplyDeletePlease lock her up before she breeds again!!!!
ReplyDeleteYeah arrest her while the likes of Lindsay Lohan roam free. I'm no fan but she's doing the best she can under the circumstances with the whole world against her.
ReplyDeleteThe same holds true for any welfare fraud case, though. Do you just let them get away with it?
ReplyDeleteI'm not saying they should or shouldn't, just saying that welfare fraud is rampant, and there are no easy solutions.
If you cannot be an example to your children, at least you can be a warning to others...
ReplyDeleteWell, yes, it is a lot of money BUT they need to make an example of her so others don't do - or try and do - the same.
ReplyDeleteThey should make the idiot doctor who implanted 8 embryos pay back the 30K. And I didn't know some of the kids were special needs. Sad.
ReplyDelete@Stepforded, I agree - this prosecution is about setting an example.
ReplyDeleteIt's important to show that gaming the welfare system doesn't work, for two audiences: 1) people who may consider gaming the system and 2) taxpayers who fund the system.
If the broader public is convinced that most welfare money goes to fraud, there will be less willingness to allot funding for welfare.
She is an idiot for letting it get to the point of trial and prosecution. In most cases if you admit fault and agree terms of repayment with penalties then nobody needs to go to jail.
ReplyDeleteOr she is a genius who knows it will run into millions to prosecute a (relatively) small overpayment and it may well be dropped.
Having 14 kids doesn't make her a bad mother, but putting her freedom in jeopardy for a few bucks and leaving the state to pick up the pieces does.
They can't just make exceptions for people.
ReplyDeleteI hate when there is a "setting an example" kind of story...How about really going for the welfare fraud of someone who collects several different checks through identity theft, etc? Just have her pay it back, garnish her income tax refund. There is real abuse of the system and of kids, go after them.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you.
Deleteso the state shouldn't prosecute a crime?? i mean, i feel sorry for her kids but they were screwed from the day she had them.
ReplyDeletewe prosecute criminals, and yes it's expensive to try them, and to incarcerate them if that's the way it turns out. but the state can't make decisions about pursuing a case based on all the shit mentioned here. SHE should have thought of that.
Oh good grief. She broke the law just like many other welfare cheats bit unlike them she can trade in on her celebrity and pay off the fine. If u don't want to go to jail obey the effing laws.
ReplyDeleteUgh...
They should fine her. Anything else punishes the children far more than her.
ReplyDeleteDon't forget, CA taxpayers already footed the bill of over 1 mill just so that Octomoo could give BIRTH to these kids. So they're already supporting them in a big way. Octomoo didn't have health insurance and the taxpayers got to pay for her delivery.
ReplyDeleteMake the fertility dr pay, he should be supporting those kids.
ReplyDeleteI know Talks Too Much knows my situation, so she can attest to the fact that you would think I could get some sort of benefits like food stamps, or help with utility bills, however, they say I make too much at $700 a month.
ReplyDeleteI have no problem with them going after someone who cheated the system. If I have to follow the rules, so does this trick.
Of course she is a dimwit, but this prosecution does serve the purpose of turning people off to funding welfare. Some people think welfare recipiants have split levels and 2 cars, when in reality, they live in rundown apartment, get like $8oo a month for food and rent for family of 5. They get substandard medical care, lousy schools and lousy jobs because they have no cars or babysitters. You try raising family on $800 a month. Im trying to say i dont like being manipulated into thinking welfare recipients are living high on the hog and we shld all vote to defund welfare. As for sulemon, everybody knows her deal. Just fine her and move on.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know some of her children had special needs
ReplyDeleteMeh. There are so few people on welfare and even fewer cheating welfare that this one stupid whore and her zillion kids is no big deal.
ReplyDeleteThe Enty is right, it'll cost us more to bother with this than it would to let it go. Keep a somewhat stricter eye on her in the future and move on.
If anyone is worried about government spending, focus on the Pentagon, not the Octomom.
I think the doctor who inseminated her should pay her child support. She's obviously a few cards short of a deck, and no ethical doctor would have given her a shot of the babies.
ReplyDeleteI hardly believe her 'welfare fraud' or any other kind of welfare fraud other poor people do has any impact on rich people's ability to get richer
ReplyDeleteAgree Enty!
ReplyDeleteCompletely serious question. In a world of "Duck Dynasty" and "Here Comes Honey Boo-Boo," why was Octomom unable to score the reality show she seems to have so wanted? Obviously, I'm referring to the days before her solo porno.
ReplyDeleteThanks and regards to Enty, Count J and the rest.