DECATUR — A Decatur woman has been charged with one count of Level 6 felony fraud following an investigation into more than three years of alleged welfare benefit abuse.
According to court records filed July 3rd in Adams Superior Court, 42-year-old Brooke M. Rudy is accused of intentionally providing false information to the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA) to receive public assistance benefits—specifically Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) funds—between May 2021 and October 2024.
Investigators allege Rudy failed to report her full household composition and income, including that her husband, James Rudy, was residing with her at their shared home on Piqua Road. Despite evidence that the couple lived together and filed taxes jointly, Brooke Rudy repeatedly claimed she was separated and living solely with her three children, according to an affidavit submitted by an FSSA investigator.
Records from the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles, the U.S. Postal Service, employer documents, and school enrollment history all indicated the family resided together at the Decatur address throughout the time she received assistance. The investigation concluded that Rudy received $29,109 in SNAP benefits she was not entitled to due to the misrepresentations.
If convicted, Rudy could face up to two and a half years in prison and fines. The case remains pending in Adams Superior Court. A trial date has not yet been set.
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