An inmate at the Shakopee state prison for women was charged in a theft and swindling scheme that allegedly allowed her to collect more than $60,000 in public assistance while she was incarcerated.
Pamela Ann Williams, 56, was charged with two counts of theft — wrongfully obtained public assistance — and three counts of theft by swindle for a scheme that allowed her to collect thousands of dollars administered by the state since she was incarcerated in January 2024.
Pamela Ann Williams is an inmate at the state women’s prison in Shakopee. She was accused in December 2024 of a scheme to defraud the state of more than $60,000 in public assistance while incarcerated. (Minnesota Department of Corrections)
Court documents give the following details:
Under the scheme, Williams was listed as a recipient of care from a personal care attendant beginning when she was sent to prison in a domestic assault case. The personal care attendant she listed lived in Chicago. The payments the man received were ultimately transferred back to Williams in prison through a third person. In addition, although she was incarcerated, Williams continued to receive public assistance benefits that included $59,269 in medical assistance, $2,619 in food aid and $1,837 in general assistance.
“We are grateful that State Department of Human Services fraud prevention measures flagged the suspicious activity, and this case was referred for criminal investigation,” Ramsey County Attorney John Choi said in a press release.
Choi said the investigation in St. Paul is ongoing “as it relates to holding accountable other participants in this alleged scheme to defraud our public assistance programs.”
Williams is expected to appear in court on the charges in January.
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