Former D.C. Government Employee Indicted on Charges of Fraudulently Claiming District Residency to Obtain Benefits

Defendant Collected District Medicaid, Food Stamp, and Public Charter School Tuition, While Living in Virginia

            WASHINGTON – Michia Pardlow, 30, now residing in Washington, D.C., was indicted yesterday on 39 counts of fraud and other charges stemming from her false claims of District of Columbia residency, from 2016 to 2020, to obtain D.C. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Medicaid benefits, and free tuition for her two children to attend a D.C. Public Charter School. 

            The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Daniel W. Lucas, Inspector General for the District of Columbia, and Brian Schwalb, Attorney General for the District of Columbia.  This matter was initially discovered by the D.C. Department of Human Services and promptly referred to the D.C. Office of the Inspector General for investigation.

            Pardlow was indicted by a grand jury in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia on charges of first degree fraud, first degree theft, false statements, and forgery. Ms. Pardlow is to be arraigned on August 23, 2023, at a hearing before the Honorable Andrea Hertzfeld. The majority of the indicted charges are felony offenses, carrying a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.

            According to court documents in the case, Pardlow was a resident of Arlington, Virginia, from 2016 into 2020. The charging documents allege that she submitted signed applications, residency verification forms, and other documents to the District of Columbia’s Department of Human Services and Public Charter School Board claiming and verifying District residency.  The charging documents also allege that in November 2017, she forged a residency verification letter.

            As a result, the documents allege, Pardlow was able to obtain District benefits to which she was not entitled.  Non-District residents are ineligible to receive District SNAP, TANF, and Medicaid benefits. Non-District residents who enroll their dependents in D.C. schools must apply as a non-resident and pay non-resident tuition. Court documents allege that she received more than $149,000 in fraudulent benefits.

            An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal laws and every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.

            This case is being investigated by the D.C. Office of the Inspector General and is being jointly prosecuted by the Major Crimes Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Public Corruption Section of the D.C. Office of the Attorney General. 

            In announcing the charges, U.S. Attorney Graves, Inspector General Lucas, and Attorney General Schwalb commended the work of those investigating the case from the Office of Inspector General, including Special Agent Robert Partington.  They acknowledged the efforts of those who are working on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Crystal Waddy. Finally, they commended the work of the late Bayly Leighton, former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney detailed from the D.C. Office of the Attorney General, who initially investigated the case, along with Assistant U.S. Attorney Noah Simmons, who is investigating and prosecuting the case.