6 charged with stealing $375k in WIC money

PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 16 (UPI) -- Six ex-employees of a Philadelphia community group have been charged with forging checks to steal $375,000 designated for poor mothers and children.

Pennsylvania Attorney General Tom Corbett said Wednesday the six worked for North Organized Regionally for Total Health Inc., The Philadelphia Inquirer reported. They allegedly used their employee access codes to create fake checks for the Women, Infants and Children Program, which subsidizes food for needy mothers.

"More than $375,000 of taxpayer money that was intended for needy mothers and their young children was lost as a result of this scheme," Corbett said.

Corbett said the employees, all Philadelphia residents, worked as nutrition assistants at the community group, and their responsibilities included determining if WIC applicants were eligible for the program. They allegedly exchanged the phony checks at supermarkets for cash instead of food.