A 44-year-old Florida woman named Veronica Torres has been charged with a third-degree felony for filing a false public assistance claim. She used her mother’s identity to apply for and receive almost $8,000 in hurricane aid, claiming that she had to move out of her home due to hurricane damage. However, when Torres went to pick up the check, a city employee noticed that she looked younger than the age listed on the application. Torres tried to explain that her youthful appearance was due to botox treatments, but the employee was not convinced. She was asked to return the next day and was subsequently arrested by the Bradenton Police Department.
As of now, the case did not appear in online court records, and it is unclear if Torres has legal representation. She is currently out on $2,500 bond after being booked into jail. Bradenton, where the incident took place, is a city of around 55,000 people located north of Sarasota on Florida’s western coast. The area was affected by Hurricanes Helene and Milton in September and October, respectively. This case serves as a reminder that fraudulent claims for disaster assistance can have serious legal consequences.
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