Michigan Lottery Winner Who Used Food Stamps, Charged With Welfare Fraud

[kcchiefs6465]

Amanda Clayton, a Michigan woman who won $1 million from the state lottery last year, was arraigned today in district court on felony charges stemming from an investigation that found she failed to report her lottery winnings and employment status to the Department of Human Services in order to continue receiving public assistance.
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Clayton pleaded not guilty to charges of welfare fraud and failure to inform. If convicted, she could face up to four years in prison, according to WJBK Detroit.
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"It's simply common sense that million dollar lottery winners forfeit their right to public assistance," Schuette said in the release. "We will continue to work with local, state and federal authorities to uphold state laws intended to ensure wise stewardship of taxpayer dollars."

Clayton is being held on $10,000 bond and is scheduled for a court hearing on April 24.

I'm kind of shocked she can't or hasn't posted $1,000 (10%) to get out of jail.

More at: hxxp://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/17/amanda-clayton-michigan-lottery-winner-food-stamps_n_1431777.html

[Lucille]

Lottery winner who kept taking food stamps found dead
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2012/09/29/lottery-winner-dies/1603257/


7:38PM EST September 29. 2012 - DETROIT -- Amanda Clayton, who caused a stir by continuing to take food stamps after winning the state lottery's $1 million Make Me Rich! game show, has died of a possible drug overdose, police said Saturday.

Clayton was found dead by police at about 9 a.m. at a home in Ecorse, Ecorse police Sgt. Cornelius Herring said.

No further details were released by police.

Clayton was propelled into the spotlight after a local news outlet learned she had won the game show in September 2011 but continued to take welfare benefits. At the time, she said she was entitled to the payments because she still needed help.

[AuH20]

It looks like the lottery killed her.

[MozoVote]

Not an unusual outcome, really. People with screwed up lives that win the lottery often continue failing.

[angelatc]

Not an unusual outcome, really. People with screwed up lives that win the lottery often continue failing.

Exactly. She was drugged up single Mom who couldn't hold a job *before* she won the lottery. Adding welfare cheat to the resume was the only real effect the money had on her.

[sailingaway]

Exactly. She was drugged up single Mom who couldn't hold a job *before* she won the lottery. Adding welfare cheat to the resume was the only real effect the money had on her.

I wonder how long it would take someone drugged up to spend a million (less withholding)? Maybe she went through it, and it wasn't fraud.

[angelatc]

I wonder how long it would take someone drugged up to spend a million (less withholding)? Maybe she went through it, and it wasn't fraud.

No, she died.

She was actually the second person caught getting food stamps after winning the lottery. The first guy said that the law said he didn't have to claim lump sum payments, so he wasn't doing anything wrong. The GOP legislature changed that.

She was a little less cocky, saying that because she now had two houses she still needed the assistance. She also said she thought they would cut her off, and when they didn't, she assumed it was because she was still not working.

The news said that she did set up college funds for her kids, but had spent all but about $65,000 of the money. (About half went to taxes immediately.)