Iowa woman defrauds nearly $50K in benefits from Minnesota: Charges

How other states compare to Minnesota fraud

FOX 9's Mike Manzoni breaks down how other states compare to Minnesota when it comes to fraud. 

OLMSTED Co., Minn. (FOX 9) - A woman from Iowa faces charges of stealing nearly $50,000 in public assistance benefits after her EBT card had been flagged for a suspiciously large number of purchases occurring outside Minnesota.

Iowa woman benefits fraud scheme

What we know:

Jeanette Louise Finley, 59, of Cresco, Iowa, is charged with several counts of wrongfully obtaining public assistance funds by theft for a scheme that authorities allege occurred between Nov. 1, 2024, and Nov. 30, 2025.

According to charges filed in Olmsted County, on Nov. 12, 2025, a Fraud Prevention Investigator with the Department of Family Support and Assistance received a tip stating that Finley had been receiving public assistance through Olmsted County, but her EBT card had been flagged for a suspiciously large number of purchases occurring outside of Minnesota.

After reviewing her case, charges state that an investigator determined Finley was residing in Iowa, not Minnesota, and terminated her benefits.

Dig deeper:

Finley initially appealed the termination of her public assistance, and on Jan. 28, 2026, a hearing was held with Finley and her fiancé, who is also her personal care attendant.

During the hearing, Finley testified under oath that she purchased a home in Cresco, Iowa, in September 2024.

However, DHS records showed several applications for benefits following the purchase and relocation to the home.

On Dec. 16, 2024, Finley applied for SNAP benefits, and listed 1103 E. Center St., Apt. 2, in Rochester, Minnesota, as both her residence and her mailing address.

On Feb. 5, 2025, Finley again applied for SNAP, cash assistance and emergency assistance, listing the same Rochester address as her residence, but with a mailing address as one that matched the address of the home purchased in Iowa.

Then on June 24, 2025, she applied for medical assistance, while again listing her address as the one in Rochester.

In each filing for benefits, Finley declared that "under the penalties of perjury, I have examined this application and to the best of my knowledge, it is true and correct."

However, when the fraud prevention investigator contacted the owner of the address in Rochester, they learned that neither Finley nor her fiancé had ever rented the property from him, according to the charges.

In total, Finley allegedly defrauded the state and county a total of $48,466.37 in public assistance benefits while a resident of Iowa.

What's next:

If convicted of perjury, each offense could be sentenced to imprisonment for five years, a payment of a fine of not more than $10,000, or both.