Lakewood couple charged with government subsidy fraud

A Lakewood couple await court dates, accused of collecting Medicaid payouts and home energy subsidies by fraud.

Israel Safran, 42, faces charges including second-degree theft by deception and third-degree counts of Medicaid fraud and tampering with government records.

Esti Safran, 41, is charged with a third-degree count of theft by deception.

Investigators in the office of Ocean County Prosecutor Joseph D. Coronato believe that Israel Safran collected $146,010.36 in NJ Family Care, or Medicaid, payments from the state from 2009 through 2013, on falsified submissions that concealed financial support from relatives in the hundreds of thousands of dollars, and income from rent.

Esti Safran allegedly collected $2,653 in home energy assistance through falsified aplicaitons between 2009 and 2011.

Israel Safran posted $100,000 bail and Esti Safran posted $15,000 bail after they were issued summonses on June 25, authorities said.

The second-degree count is punishable by five to 10 years in prison on conviction. Guilty findings for second-degree counts carry possible prison terms up to five years.