(WHTM) – The Pennsylvania Office of the State Inspector General has filed public assistance fraud charges against 43 people during June 2023.

The amount owed to the Commonwealth in these cases totals $202,064 and additional cost savings will be determined with those charged temporarily disqualified from receiving public benefits.

Felony charges were filed against 41 individuals and misdemeanor charges were filed against two separate individuals by the Office of State Inspector General.

“The Office of State Inspector General works every day to uphold Pennsylvanians’ confidence in our public benefits programs,” said State Inspector General Lucas M. Miller. “Through our partnership with the Department of Human Services, we are able to uphold integrity and accountability in Pennsylvania’s public assistance programs while helping to ensure that funding is returned to be used by those who need it most.”

If convicted, the maximum penalty for public assistance fraud is seven years in prison and a fine of $15,000. In the case of SNAP, Cash Assistance, or Subsidized Day Care fraud, individuals face a mandatory disqualification period.