Lottery Winner Charged for Collecting Food Stamps After Win

Authorities in Michigan on Tuesday filed charges against a woman who continued to receive food stamps after she had won a $1 million prize in a lottery game. The woman was arrested on Monday, and charged with two felony counts of welfare fraud and faces up to four years in prison if convicted. The woman, 25 year-old Amanda Clayton, pleaded not guilty in a Lincoln Park court on Tuesday, and her attorney will move to have the charges dismissed at her next scheduled court hearing on April 24th.

Clayton won a $1 million lottery prize last Fall, and collected $700,000 after taxes. Detroit’s NBC affilaite WDIV uncovered the controversy, interviewing Clayton on a local news broadcast. During the interview, Clayton said that she felt it was okay for her to still be receiving food stamps because she was unemployed, but also mentioned having two houses, which didn’t set well with viewers. Clayton was finally taken off of the assistance program in March.