Broward

Long-Time DCF Employee Accused of Giving Away Money, Benefits

Winston Hume, 62, is accused of giving money, food stamps, and Medicaid to those who didn't qualify for assistance

Florida DCF

A 20-year veteran employee of Florida's Department of Children and Families is accused of giving money, food stamps, Medicaid and other public assistance to people who did not qualify for it, court records show.

Winston Alexander Hume, 62, was an Economic Self Sufficiency Specialist with DCF between 2000 and 2020 who used his authority to approve benefits in about 70 questionable cases without the required application paperwork, according to the arrest report.

The Florida Department of Financial Services launched an investigation in December 2019 and of the 70 cases, 11 were found to be fraudulently approved by Hume, the report stated.

State investigators said the fraud amounted to nearly $105,000 in lost public funds between 2016 and 2020.

The court documents did not detail who received these benefits fraudulently.

Hume was arrested Thursday and charged with the misappropriation of public funds.

He was released from the Broward County Jail on a $150,000 bond, records show.

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