{"jurisdiction": "us-ny", "code": "penal", "section": "158.25", "citation": "Penal Law § 158.25", "heading": "Welfare fraud in the first degree", "text": ["§ 158.25 Welfare fraud in the first degree.", "A person is guilty of welfare fraud in the first 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 one million dollars.", "Welfare fraud in the first degree is a class B felony."], "official_source": "https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/PEN/158.25", "from_official_api": true, "plain_english": "A person commits first-degree welfare fraud by **committing a fraudulent welfare act and thereby taking public assistance benefits worth more than $1,000,000**. ★ It is a **class B felony**.", "in_force_on": "2026-05-31", "retrieved": "2026-09-27", "url": "https://elyphived.com/us-ny/penal/158.25", "publisher": "Elyphived LLC"}