Jeffrey George Kovarik, 28, Little Falls, was charged Sept. 6 in Morrison County District Court with a felony for wrongfully obtaining assistance.
According to the criminal complaint, Kovarik failed to disclose he was applying for and later received benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs when he applied for and received public assistance from Morrison County over a number of years, beginning in 2012.
Kovarik allegedly received more than $23,000 in funds from May 2012 to March 2016, he wouldn’t have been eligible for had the county known he was receiving income from the VA.
In April, investigators interviewed Kovarik about the case and Kovarik allegedly told them someone had told him he didn’t have to disclose he was receiving VA benefits.
According to court documents, he allegedly said he had signed the forms and that he knew what he did was wrong and that he wanted to repay the overpayment he received.
If convicted, Kovarik faces up to 10 years in prison and/or a $20,000 fine.