Prison for millionare who collected welfare

DEEPHAVEN, Minn., Jan. 6 (UPI) -- A Minnesota man who collected more than $167,000 in welfare benefits while he had more than $3 million in the bank was sentenced to 21 months in prison.

The court heard Colin Chisholm, 63, and his wife, Andrea, 54, collected more than $167,000 in medical and food assistance claims in the seven years leading up to March 2012 and investigators later discovered the couple had more than $3 million in the bank and lived in a $1.6 million mansion in Deephaven.

The couple, who once claimed to be Scottish nobility and went by the titles "Lord and Lady Chisholm," were also found to own a luxury yacht worth millions on Lake Minnetonka.

Judge Lois Conroy handed down a 21-month prison sentence despite state sentencing guidelines calling for probation. Conroy agreed with prosecutors that prison time was called for due to the severity of the welfare fraud.

Chisholm was also ordered to pay $167,420 in restitution following the completion of his prison sentence.

"This is a fitting end to a crime that never should have occurred," Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman said after the sentencing. "We are pleased with the sentence and believe it is one of the longest ever given in the state of Minnesota for welfare fraud."

Andrea Chisholm pleaded guilty in August to aiding and abetting wrongfully obtaining public assistance. She was sentenced to one year and one day in prison. Freeman said she was less culpable for the fraud because Colin Chisholm was the one fraudulently signing documents.