Irene Probe Includes 24 State Employees

At least two troopers are under investigation for fraudulently taking storm aid, according to the report.

The investigation into state employees receiving improper financial aid after Tropical Storm Irene apparently includes 9 more state employees, including state troopers.

Four Connecticut state troopers are among the state employees under investigation, according to State Police Union President Andrew Matthews.

Administrative hearings for 15 state workers have already been requested, Gov. Dannel Malloy said last week. On Monday morning, he said the Department of Social Services and the Office of Labor Relations has notified several state agencies of an additional nine employees who are suspected of filing false and misleading applications. 

One of the troopers being investigated was assigned to an overtime shift at the Department of Social Services office in Norwich in September, according to the Hartford Courant. He was placed there to help control the massive crowd of people who showed up to collect D-SNAP funds after Tropical Storm Irene.

The Courant also reports that one of the state troopers makes more than $120,000 a year.

Twenty-three thousand people applied for the Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program in the wake of the storm.

The federally-funded program provided debit cards to those who lost food and other goods during the August storm. Eligibility was based on income, among other factors.

Matthews said a trooper could legitimately qualify if he has a large family and his spouse doesn't work.

To qualify, a family of eight could have money in the bank and take home pay of no more than $5,479 in the month after the storm. 

The state uncovered potential fraud by several state employees who might have misrepresented their earnings to appear to qualify for the benefits. Since the original reports, state employees have contacted the governor's office to report unethical practices anonymously, Malloy said.

“While the addition of nine administrative hearings is troubling, I want the residents of Connecticut to know that this is an ongoing investigation, and I am determined to leave no stone unturned.  In addition to losing their jobs, anyone caught defrauding our government will be referred immediately to the proper authorities.  The days of looking the other way are over,” Malloy said.

NBC Connecticut contacted Matthews on Sunday and he said he would not comment on specific cases, but feels everyone should reserve judgment until the investigation is completed.

"It seems that state employees are being scrutinized under the Malloy administration because their salaries are public information and because they had records of what they make," Matthews said.

Malloy said the 15 employees whose names were submitted to agencies last week have been given letters notifying them of the date for their individual administrative hearings.

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