The lawyer representing 17 state workers accused of fraud for applying for storm-related benefits for low-income residents after Tropical Storm Irene is once again speaking out.
Richard Rochlin said that those who didn't intend to break the rules should be allowed to just repay the money.
Rochlin claims his clients got bad advice from the state workers who handled their applications for federal food benefits following the storm.
"The settlement will allow myriad State workers who have been unfairly ensnared in this investigation to move on with their lives and will permit the State to use its resources to focus on the real cases of fraud (including, but not limited to, claims made by Hartford residents when Hartford was barely touched by Irene)," the letter states.
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Gov. Dannel Malloy has dismissed Rochlin's approach, saying it's not a serious way to treat the matter.
Malloy said last week that 10 additional names of state employees were forwarded to agency chiefs to begin administrative reviews. That brings to 44 the number of state employees suspected of fraud.
