Covington —
Nine were charged with fraudulently collecting money and benefits from federal and state assistance programs, for more than a decade in some cases.
A federal grand jury in Covington returned seven indictments Thursday charging a man and seven women from Carter, Boyd, Lawrence, Morgan and Bracken counties with Supplemental Security Income (SSI) fraud and health care fraud. An additional man was charged only with making false statements related to alleged fraud and one of the women was also charged with aggravated identity theft.
Those charged were Dena Ramey, 57, and Granvell Ramey,72, of Boyd County; Yvonne Campbell, 47, of Bracken County; Junty Kay Ratliff, 66, and Randall Dale Ratliff 73, of Morgan County; Linda Lou Tackett, age unavailable, and Ila Jean Rose, 56, of Carter County; and Diana Lynn Rice, 66, of Lawrence County.
According to the indictments, the defendants fraudulently obtained benefits from the Social Security Administration (SSA) and Medicaid by concealing and intentionally failing to disclose their true living arrangements and financial resources.
The indictments allege that over the course of years, many of the defendants told SSA agents that they had divorced or separated from their spouses, when in fact they were living together and sharing living expenses. Had SSA known the defendants’ true living arrangements and financial resources, the defendants would have been ineligible for SSI and Medicaid benefits, or their eligibility would have been reduced greatly.
SSI is a cash assistance program designed to provide financial assistance to disabled and elderly people who have little or no income or resources. Based on an agreement between Kentucky and the SSA, Kentuckians who are eligible for SSI also qualify for Medicaid coverage.
A grand jury indictment is a formal accusation of guilt and does not establish guilt.
Local News
9 charged with welfare fraud
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Homeless count up in Boyd
A count of Kentucky’s homeless in January revealed the population is shrinking statewide, but locally the numbers rose, as projected by officials.
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59-year-old accused of stealing at Raceland graduation
A 59-year-old Greenup County man is accused of stealing from students during Raceland-Worthington High School’s graduation on Tuesday night.
During the graduation ceremony, Doran O’Neal of Raceland stole about $40 and an iPhone from purses placed in a side room, according to the Raceland Police Department. Officers said the theft was captured on surveillance video and they were able to identify O’Neal.
Raceland Police Chief Don Sammons said the graduation was finished around 9 p.m. and O’Neal was in custody before 10 p.m. -
Famous luthier/musician visits with fans in Ashland
Guitar-builder Paul Reed Smith shared sonic secrets Wednesday evening during a visit to Ashland’s 4 O’Clock Rock Guitar Shop.
“This is one of the most dedicated Paul Reed Smith dealers in the world and I’m here because I want to be here,” Smith said Wednesday afternoon as he tested a new chorus-effect pedal through one of his own amplifiers. -
Cadets honor veterans by placing flags
On their final full day of school for the year, nearly 40 Russell High School students decided they could best spend their time placing American flags upon the graves of local veterans buried at Rose Hill Cemetery.
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12th Street bridge closed
The Kentucky Department of Transportation is in the process of closing the 12th Street Bridge.
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05/23/2013 — What's happening
Local news
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Bagby Music Fest new attraction for event
Patriotic and inspirational music sets the theme for a new Memory Days event at 2 p.m. Saturday following the parade.
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Memory Days/Arts
There are extra arts events in Grayson this month that encompass music, poetry and visual arts.
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Police beat: 5/23/13
The following information was taken from Ashland Police Department reports:
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Local in brief: 5/23/13
A Rowan Circuit Court jury deliberated six hours here Tuesday before reporting it was hopelessly deadlocked in the case of Dallas Carpenter, 60, of Emerson in Lewis County, who was on trial for murder in the May 2010 traffic deaths of a Clearfield couple.
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