DETROIT, Mich. — The Lincoln Park, Michigan, woman who made national headlines for continuing to accept food stamp benefits after winning $1 million on a Michigan Lottery game show was sentenced today in Wayne County Circuit Court to nine months of probation.
Amanda Clayton, 25, won the money on the show "Make me Rich!" last year and took home more than $700,000 after taxes. She was charged in April with two felony counts of welfare fraud — failure to inform for not alerting the state Department of Human Services about her winnings and income from her job.
Clayton accepted $5,475 in food and medical benefits from August 2011 through March this year that Attorney General Bill Schuette's office said she was not eligible for. She pleaded no contest in June and one charge was dropped.
Today, she paid the money back in full. She also has to pay court costs and fines.
Her attorney, John Dakmak, said she is happy to get on with her life. She also promised to repay the state when she was first charged.
"Paying back the money has never been in an issue for Ms. Clayton." Dakmak said. "When she was first approached by a DHS employee talking about a repayment of funds, she wanted to pay the money back right away."
Clayton is a single mother and is now looking for work after she was fired from her job at a White Castle because of the case, Dakmak said. He added that he has heard criticism that she won enough money to not have to work but said that is not realistic.
"I don't want to make light of the fact that she won a million dollars." Dakmak said. "That's a lot of money. She wants to provide for her family long term and that includes working. ... Now she's got this felony conviction."
Dakmak declined to let Clayton speak after the sentencing hearing.
Another attorney at the same firm that represented Clayton at her arraignment, Stanley Wise, previously said the Attorney General's Office was trying to make an example of Clayton. There were alternative sentences that are normally used in similar cases that were not used, Dakmak said, but he stopped short of completely agreeing with Wise.
In response to the publicity the case received, the state Legislature passed bills that Gov. Rick Snyder signed into law that now require the Michigan Lottery to notify the DHS about people who win more than $1,000. They also will be cross-referenced, and there are new tests to determine lottery winners' eligibility for taxpayer-funded aid.
Randy Wood, a spokesman for Schuette's office, said the attorney general will continue to work with the DHS to find and prosecute people who commit welfare fraud.
"We're pleased that the taxpayers of Michigan are going to be paid back for this fraud," Wood said. "It makes no sense that someone who won the lottery keep receiving food stamps."
"We believe that justice has been done in this case," Maura Corrigan, director of the DHS, said in June in a press release. "The food benefits we administer are meant for those truly in need, not lottery millionaires. Now, for the first time, we are able to cross-reference with the Michigan Lottery to assure this does not happen in the future."
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Sounds like she's making a fresh start for herself and is back on track. Best of luck to her!
Wonder if she has any leftover food stamps for sale.
Made restitution and will serve probation? Is this a felony charge or a misdemeanor charge? If it's a felony charge, this decision of hers will follow her for a long time!
I know mcginnin56 your last comment was in humor however I feel that the people who buy these cards should be punish as well.
Yes, the story said it was a felony.
All the hell break lose when an average American fools the system for few 100s or thousands of dollars but nothing is done to stop the tax evasions of billions of dollars by companies like Apple. Silly world we live in.
Apple is hurting us. Ouchhhhhhh!!!
Justice
has been served, but I fear that this is just the "tip of the iceberg" when it comes to cheating on welfare!
we have to start somewhere... now we just need to be consistent and keep going.
she looks shady iam glad she payed the money back
Sorry to say, Amanda's "Not my type".But I could use that $700,000!
I watched this chick on the show when she won. She seemed nice but her boyfriend was utter white trash. I don't doubt this was all his idea. She will be out of money soon and her downward spiral in life will continue sadly.
Many more just like her.
The article claims that she took home more than $700k. That was actually the cash value and her net payout was a little over 400k. She paid over $250k in Federal and state taxes and apparently felt entitled to getting some of it back.
With tax planning guidance, she could have easily mitigated her tax obligations and kept and/or received back from the state/Fed government well over the $5k that she scammed in welfare benefits.
Isn't there enough racism in the world that you wouldn't feel the need to spread more of it?
Step into the 21st Century and leave your racial bigotry, prejudice and hatred behind.
We don't need it here.
Dang Ridge I didn't know you were a racist
I thought you were just a person that tells it like it is
. Oh well keep doing what your doing someone has to get the message out....
You know the funny thing is white conservatives are perceived as Racist & black conservatives are perceived as Sell Outs
... Go figure.
Well, thank you kindly, Miss Dallas!
And you're right about Conservatives. Dadgum straight!
Yeah cause the taxpayers need that money so we can bailout companies like Goldman Sachs and AIG.. Curses to her trying to feed her kids, I mean there are corporations out htere who can't pay ot their multi million dollar bonuses...I mean get a grip people we've lost sight of what' important LOL!!!
omg lol, yummy... j/k