NY City welfare worker faked a family in $190,000 scam

Former Human Resources Administration acting deputy director Garcia is charged with using her access to HRA computers to maintain the fraudulent welfare case.

Sandra Garcia, 56, a former Human Resources Administration acting deputy director was in court over faking accounts to bilk taxpayers of $190,000.

A city welfare worker created a fake family — using the names and Social Security numbers of other people’s children — to scam taxpayers out of $190,000 meant for the needy, authorities said.

Her scheme caused at least one child to be denied legitimate benefits because the kid’s name was part of her fabricated case, the city Department of Investigation said Thursday.

The accused scammer is charged with theft of government funds and other counts with maximum sentences ranging from two to 10 years in prison.

Garcia, who last worked at an HRA center in Queens with a salary of $68,125, opened the bogus case in 1996 under the name “Altagracia Garcia,” the city said. (Continues)