Burrillville woman admits fraudulently collecting food benefits

A Burrillville woman has been ordered to repay more than $16,000 in benefits that she fraudulently received through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, according to a news release from Attorney General Peter Neronha.

Linda Arndt, 61, pleaded no contest Tuesday in Superior Court, Providence, to one count of fraudulently obtaining public assistance over $500.

Prosecutors said that Arndt collected the benefits over a period of nearly three years while not reporting her husband’s income to the state of Rhode Island. If she had reported that income, she would not have qualified for SNAP benefits, formerly known as Food Stamps.

Superior Court Justice Luis Matos gave Arndt a deferred five-year sentence and ordered her to repay $16,402 to the state of Rhode Island, according to the news release.