SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. – In a significant development, a former resident of Sanford, Florida, was taken into custody on Thursday following allegations that she misappropriated more than $50,000 from public assistance programs.

Authorities have identified the suspect as 40-year-old Taiwan Jackson-Hines. According to state investigators, she applied for Medicaid, Food Stamps, and School Readiness benefits between the years 2021 and 2023 while residing in Seminole County.

During this period, Jackson-Hines reportedly claimed that her household was comprised solely of herself and her three children. Consequently, she received substantial benefits from these programs based on the information she provided.

However, in 2023, a turning point occurred when her application for the School Readiness program was denied. This denial came after officials uncovered that her spouse, Nelson Hines, was residing with her, as detailed in an affidavit.

Following this discovery, investigators stated that Jackson-Hines was instructed to amend her application to accurately reflect her husband’s presence in the household.

“The Coalition terminated Taiwan Jackson’s benefits due to being ineligible over-income,” the affidavit reads.

Since then, investigators have announced that Nelson Hines had been living with Jackson-Hines since 2019, and his income had been over $130,000 during the period in which Jackson-Hines was applying for benefits.

As a result, investigators claimed that Jackson-Hines had received excessive public assistance benefits in the following amounts:

On Thursday, court records show that Nassau County deputies transported Jackson-Hines to the Seminole County jail, where she now faces two counts of grand theft over $20,000, and two counts of obtaining benefits under public assistance programs by fraud.

Jackson-Hines is held on bond of $35,000. Her next court date is scheduled for Dec. 16.