{"jurisdiction": "us-ny", "code": "penal", "section": "158.20", "citation": "Penal Law § 158.20", "heading": "Welfare fraud in the second degree", "text": ["§ 158.20 Welfare fraud in the second degree.", "A person is guilty of welfare fraud in the second degree when he or she commits a fraudulent welfare act and thereby takes or obtains public assistance benefits, and when the value of the public assistance benefits exceeds fifty thousand dollars.", "Welfare fraud in the second degree is a class C felony."], "official_source": "https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/PEN/158.20", "from_official_api": true, "plain_english": "A person commits second-degree welfare fraud by **committing a fraudulent welfare act and thereby taking public assistance benefits worth more than $50,000**. ★ It is a **class C felony**.", "in_force_on": "2026-05-31", "retrieved": "2026-09-27", "url": "https://elyphived.com/us-ny/penal/158.20", "publisher": "Elyphived LLC"}