Hollister
– Two women accused of embezzling more than $100,000 from a
county social service program that provides home care for elderly
and disabled people were arraigned Tuesday in San Benito County
Superior Court.
Hollister – Two women accused of embezzling more than $100,000 from a county social service program that provides home care for elderly and disabled people were arraigned Tuesday in San Benito County Superior Court.
Paula Marie Valencia, 39, a former employee of the county Health and Human Services agency, pleaded not guilty to grand theft by embezzlement, fraudulent claims more than $400, presentation of a fraudulent claim and two counts of insurance fraud, all felonies.
Nina Martinez Ahumada, 57, who worked as an in-home health care provider, was granted a continuance of her arraignment until Jan. 4 on the same charges. Ahumada’s attorney, Harry Damkar, was on vacation and did not attend the arraignment.
Valencia’s attorney, Greg LaForge, declined to comment on the case.
“We’re going to begin our investigation,” LaForge said Tuesday.
Deputy District Attorney Candice Hooper alleged that more than $100,000 of government money was misappropriated by the pair. According to the district attorney’s written complaint, filed in early December, the alleged fraud and embezzlement continued for more than two years, from May 2004 to October 2006.
According to HHSA officials, the agency first became aware of the missing money after an automated system detected an irregularity.
On Tuesday, the HHSA’s lead investigator for the case declined to comment on the arraignment and the details of the investigation.
HHSA Director Kathy Flores was unavailable for comment.
The missing money consists primarily of state funds distributed by the county’s social service programs, County Supervisor Anthony Botelho previously told the Free Lance.
But the missing funds should not affect any of the services that HHSA provides, according to Flores.
Flores previously told the Free Lance that the accused employee is no longer with the agency.
Michael Van Cassell covers public safety for the Free Lance. He can be reached at 831-637-5566 or mv*********@fr***********.com.
