District Court, Kandiyohi County, Oct. 31
Rosa Isela Cardoza, 35, of Hancock, made her first appearance Thursday on two felony charges of wrongfully obtaining assistance and perjury.
Unconditional bail was set at $10,000. Conditional release was allowed on her personal recognizance. Her next appearance is Nov. 10.
According to the complaint, Cardoza had applied for and received public assistance from Kandiyohi County Family Services for many years. She was responsible to reporting household composition to determine eligibility. Cardoza allegedly reported that three children lived with her and public assistance was provided on that basis. She signed document claiming such on Dec. 19, 2007.
It came to the attention of family services officials that one or more of these children were living with their father in Iowa.
When interviewed, Cardoza denied that fact and claimed that all three children had always lived with her. She later admitted that the children lived with their father for certain periods of time and that information should have been reported to family services.
The overpayment in benefits from Dec. 2007 to March 2008 was $6,597.40.