Union County Mother, 2 Children Charged In $80K Fraud Case

ELIZABETH, NJ — A mother and her two adult children were arrested for allegedly stealing $80,000 in housing assistance funding, the Union County Prosecutor's Office says.

Alicia Rivera, 55, Lorena Rivera, 30, and George Garavito, 34, are charged with second-degree theft by deception, second-degree theft by unlawful taking, second-degree conspiracy to commit theft, third-degree tampering with public records, and fourth-degree false swearing.

Over more than five years, fake documents were submitted to the Union County Housing Assistance Payments Program (HAP). Additional fake claims were made to qualify for enhanced benefits.

Alice and Lorena Rivers were arrested on Sept. 10 in Elizabeth. Garavito was arrested in Indiana on Sept. 26 and is awaiting extradition back to New Jersey.

They are scheduled to make their next court appearance on Nov. 6.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Union County Prosecutor's Special Prosecutions Unit Detective Jessica Tattoli at 908-527-4325.

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