Prison for wealthy Seattle couple who took welfare

The $1.2 million waterfront home where prosecutors say a Seattle chiropractor and his wife lived while claiming more than $135,000 in welfare assistance under multiple federal aid programs. / AP

(AP) SEATTLE - A Seattle couple who collected welfare while living in a $1.2 million waterfront home are headed to prison.

A federal judge sentenced chiropractor David Silverstein and his longtime partner, Lyudmila Shimonova, to 18 months in prison Friday. Silverstein also must pay a criminal fine of $30,000, even though he's already paid $334,000 in restitution and civil penalties.

Shimonova was ordered to pay $261,000 in restitution.

Prosecutors: Globetrotting couple lived it up while collecting $135K in welfare

Prosecutors say Silverstein pretended he was Shimonova's landlord at a home on Lake Washington that she occupied with her two children. In reality, Silverstein was living there too.

Prosecutors say the couple received more than $1,200 each month in federal housing assistance. They also say Shimonova received more than $100,000 in state and Social Security benefits while owning a $12,500 platinum and diamond ring and $17,000 diamond earrings.

[cbsblogger]

Some ethnic groups get better treatment from our "justice system" than others. Most would have received many years, not months for such a crime, and we treat it as though it was a big surprise they even got prison.

[raybuc70]

stealing from the poor to give to themeselves some people just suck

[hypnotoad72]

It's the American way.

Note how wages have stagnated or dropped, with higher degrees required for jobs that pay less... and inflated grades and other dishonest acts, with the worker caught in the middle of it all...

It truly is sickening...

[formerlyluvnut]

Being a "white collar" non-violent crime they are probably going to a "club fed" complete with golf course etc etc etc.

[Verascity]

This ghastly pair of conscienceless gluttons got off light.

If they were poor and stole money from a cash register, they'd have had the book thrown at them.

[Nightmaxx]

This is my problem. Twenty years ago Welfare was so busy going after and denying people welfare when for years right under their noses they ceased to verify the information on this woman and man. I cannot tell you how disappointed I am in a system that is supposed to help those IN NEED and instead allowed these people to collect, live higher than anyone on welfare in a mansion, collect welfare checks all because they were white! We have a candidate, Mitt Romney looking to become President of the United States who is also white, stop going after minorities who are honest and go after your kind who are not. This story seriously angers me when I know you sat there for years denying others who really needed the help. Seattle? WAterfront? $1.2 million dollars and they qualify for welfare? Don't get me started on the automobiles that they drive. And these two get less than three years in prison? Seriously? I believe at this point whomever is giving away free money to those who obviously do not need it, need to be replaced and new honest people put in.

[whachutalkinboutwillis]

Wow....just wow. why not break it down further? I'm gonna go with, he's Jewish and she's Eastern European of some sort. Worded like that, makes you sound like a nazi. When I read this article, I did not think of color but that was the first thing that popped into your head. I, also, am not white, I'm Scottish American.

[shenboe]

I am sure that Romney and Paul Ryan would go after the affluent welfare cheat vigorously. It is O who has eviscerated legal rules that permit welfare cheats of all stripes to flourish and it is O who has overstepped his legal authority to let illegal invaders stay and work in this country, taking jobs from citizens.

[Bojax39]

"Prison for wealthy Seattle couple who took welfare"

A helping hand for those in need and the back of a hand to those who steal. Sounds good to me.

[LoriBW]

There needs to be a lot more folks like this going to prison. I personally know a few "average middle class" families who pretend the husband (who earns a good salary) is not living with the rest of his family so they can get welfare and food stamps.

[audemus]

...and how many times have you complained to the appropriate authorities ?

[jjswee99]

And shame on you for not reporting them! I hope you work your ass off and your hard earned tax money they take from you, is going to them! Your just as bad if not worse for knowing this information and not reporting it! Just as bad as the people who witness crime and won't come foward with the information because they don't want to be "the bad guy"...

[truthvtold]

This goes on all the time because some of those who work for the federal government feel so generous with other people's money. Where is the penalty for not checking these people out?

[taxed01]

I agree 100%. Somebody in the giveaway government should be fried.

[audemus]

....yeh, yeh....we should be spending that money on wars for profit (how else we gonna teach Americans geography ? ).

[euge005]

Wonder how much they donated to team Romney.

[hypnotoad72]

Why most both sides play this idiotic game?

I don't care which political side these two degenerates were on - this is not a political issue. They acted wrong, very wrong, and the punishment hardly fits the crime.

So many good people suffering and losing out... and these creeps get what truly is a very light sentence.

[Bojax39]

by euge005: "Wonder how much they donated to team Romney."

Probably nothing. But I'll bet they busted their butts getting to the polls to vote for the party they thought most responsible for these poorly regulated handouts....

[nohater]

18 months is such a light sentence. too bad they didn't get many years in prison. wonder how many people there are across the nation doing the very same thing.