400.60 Fraudulent device to obtain relief; liability; misdemeanor; penalty; information to be provided by recipients.

Sec. 60.

    (1) Any person who by means of willful false statement or representation, by impersonation or other fraudulent device, or by using an access device obtains or attempts to obtain, or aids or abets any person to obtain or attempt to obtain, (a) assistance or relief to which the person is not entitled; or (b) a larger amount of assistance or relief than that to which the person is justly entitled; or any officer or employee of a county, city, or district family independence agency who authorizes or recommends relief to persons known to the officer or employee to be ineligible or to have fraudulently created their eligibility; or any person who knowingly buys or aids or abets in buying or in disposal of the property of a person receiving assistance or relief without the consent of the director or supervisor of the state department shall, if the amount involved shall be of the value of $500.00 or less, be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and shall, if the amount involved shall be of the value of more than $500.00, be deemed guilty of a felony, and upon conviction shall be punished as provided by the laws of this state. The amount involved as used in this subsection shall be defined as the difference between the lawful amount of assistance or aid and the amount of assistance or aid actually received. If anyone receives assistance or relief through means enumerated in this section, in which prosecution is deemed unnecessary, the state department or county departments may take the necessary steps to recover from the recipient the amount involved, plus interest at 5% per annum. On conviction of the violation of the provisions of this section of any officer or employee of any county, city, or district department of social welfare, the officer or employee shall be removed or dismissed from office. For the purpose of this subsection, "access device" means that term as it is defined in section 300a of the Michigan penal code, 1931 PA 328, MCL 750.300a.

    (2) There is imposed upon every person receiving relief under this act either upon the person's own application or by the person's inclusion, to his or her knowledge, in the application of another the continuing obligation to supply to the department issuing the relief: (a) the complete circumstances in regard to the person's income from employment or from any other source or the existence of income, if known to the person, of other persons receiving relief through the same application; (b) information regarding each and every offer of employment for the person or, if known to him or her, of the other persons receiving relief through the same application; (c) information concerning changes in the person's circumstances or those of other persons receiving relief through the same application which would decrease the need for relief; and (d) the circumstances or whereabouts, known to the person, of relatives legally responsible for the person's support or for the support of other persons receiving relief through the same application if changes in those circumstances or whereabouts could affect the amount of assistance available from those relatives or affect their legal liability to furnish support. Any person who shall neglect or refuse to submit to the department issuing relief the information required by this section, if the amount of relief granted as a result of the neglect or refusal is less than $500.00, is guilty of a misdemeanor, and if the amount of relief granted as a result of the neglect or refusal is $500.00 or more, is guilty of a felony, and upon conviction shall be punished as provided by the laws of this state.