A Long Island man is accused of fraudulently obtaining tens of thousands of dollars in public assistance while serving as the president of two companies and driving a luxury car, prosecutors said.
Otari Bater, age 49, of East Northport, was arraigned on felony charges of grand larceny and welfare fraud in Nassau County Court on Tuesday, Dec. 27.
Prosecutors allege that between January 2018 and January 2020, while applying for Medicaid and SNAP benefits, Bater made false claims to the Nassau County Department of Social Services (NCDSS) and the New York State Health Benefits Exchange (NYSHBE).
Those false claims included that his wife was unemployed and earned no income, and that he also earned little to no income, prosecutors said. Bater also claimed that his family of five paid rent and lived in a relative’s home.
An investigation by NCDSS later revealed that Bater actually worked as the president of two companies and was also employed as both a furniture salesperson and real estate broker during that same period.
Records showed that Bater paid personal expenses from the business accounts, including a car loan for a luxury vehicle and the mortgage for a home in Plainview where the family lived, prosecutors allege.
Investigators also determined that the family had never lived with relatives, as was documented in NCDSS paperwork.
In all, Bater was allegedly overpaid approximately $58,941 in benefits through both the NCDSS and the NYSHBE.
He surrendered to the Nassau County...
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