The Ellis County Press: ATTORNEY AND HIS WIFE PLEAD GUILTY TO WELFARE FRAUD

ATTORNEY AND HIS WIFE PLEAD GUILTY TO WELFARE FRAUD
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Diana Buckley - Ellis County Human Services - 972-825-5085 on 05/10/2011 13:50:00


WAXAHACHGIE (Texas) -  On Monday, May 9, 2011, 50 year-old attorney Todd Rowland
Phillippi, and his wife, Melissa Rios AKA: Melissa Phillippi, 40 years-old, both
of Midlothian, pleaded guilty to felony charges of welfare fraud.  Todd
Phillippi pleaded guilty to two counts of Tampering With a Governmental Record. 
In pleading guilty Phillippi judicially confessed to defrauding the State of
Texas by falsifying documents submitted to the Department of Health and Human
Services.  He was sentenced to 180 days in the State Jail.
In January an Ellis County jury convicted Mr. Phillippi of Fraudulent Use of
Identifying Information, also a felony offense.  Mr. Phillippi then filed
paperwork to appeal that conviction.  As part of Monday’s plea bargain
agreement with the State, Mr. Phillippi withdrew his appeal of the January
conviction.  Mr. Phillippi was then sentenced to 180 days in the State Jail, to
be served concurrently with the sentence in the Tampering charge.  He waived his
right to all appeals in both cases.
Mrs. Phillippi pleaded guilty to a total of eight counts of Tampering With a
Governmental Record.  Four counts stem from her fraudulent welfare applications
with the State of Texas.  Four stem from fraudulent student loan applications
submitted to the United States Department of Education. In pleading guilty Mrs.
Phillippi judicially confessed to committing all charged offenses.  Adjudication
of guilt was deferred and Mrs. Phillippi was placed on community supervision for
five (5) years.
The total amount of the frauds charged against Mr. and Mrs. Phillippi was close
to $40,000.  As part of the plea bargain agreement half of that restitution was
paid by the Phillippis prior to their pleas.  The remainder will be paid by Mrs.
Phillippi as a condition of her community supervision.  That restitution will be
forwarded to the Texas Department of Health and Human Services, the Texas
Workforce Commission and the United States Department of Education.
Patrick Wilson, Ellis County and District Attorney, made the following
statement:  “There was overwhelming evidence of an elaborate scheme by Todd
and Melissa Phillippi to defraud governmental entities.  The agreement reached
allows the State to return stolen money where it belongs – to the tax payers. 
Justice has been served.”