waterfront_welfare_photo.jpg
A couple who lived in this $1.2 million waterfront home has pleaded guilty to theft of government funds for accepting federal rent assistance. (Photo: King 5 News)

Waterfront welfare couple gets prison time

BY Brandi Kruse  on September 21, 2012 @ 3:30 pm (Updated: 5:47 pm - 9/21/12 )

A Seattle couple who received government assistance while they lived a lavish life on Lake Washington will serve prison time.

David Silverstein, 60, and Lyudmila Shimonova, 53, pleaded guilty to theft of government funds in May.

Both were sentenced Monday to 18 months in prison and three years supervised released.

"They had plenty of means, living in a waterfront home, and yet they were claiming to be so poor that they needed Section 8 housing vouchers," said Emily Langlie with the U.S. Attorney's Office in Seattle.

Prosecutors said Silverstein, a chiropractor, pretended that he was Shimonova's landlord, and that she was living at the home on Lake Washington with her two children. In reality, Silverstein was living there too.

They received more than $1,200 each month in federal housing assistance, and Shimonova also received more than $100,000 in state and Social Security benefits while owning a $12,500 platinum and diamond ring and $17,000 diamond earrings.

"They stole funds intended to provide food, cash and medical assistance to the poor," said U.S. Attorney Jenny Durkan. "In short, these defendants enriched themselves by victimizing the most vulnerable members of our community. Today they are held accountable."

Silverstein has already paid $333,970 in restitution and civil penalties. Shimonova was ordered to pay more than $261,000 in restitution.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Brandi Kruse, KIRO Radio Reporter
Brandi Kruse is a reporter for KIRO Radio who is as spontaneous and adventurous in her free time as she is on the job. Brandi arrived at KIRO Radio in March 2011 and has already collected three regional Edward R. Murrow awards for her reporting.
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Comments (10)


  • Add A Comment

  • Kief Sloberman wrote...
    taxpayers get no respect
    September 21, 2012 5:14 pm
    this money wasn't created by government....it was taken from taxpaying citizens....so when this U.S. Attorney speaks of the "most vulnerable members of our community" she should be referring to them. They are the ones who have been ripped off, the same people who pay her salary....yet she holds up the worthless freeloaders as the victims of this crime.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • fartforce1 wrote...
    eh? Wha?
    September 21, 2012 6:57 pm
    They are going to prison and have to pay it back!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Concerned US Citizen wrote...
    18 months
    September 21, 2012 5:54 pm
    What only 18 months? How about 10 years so that those who rip us taxpayers off get the message that they will pay dearly!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • tlmbrt wrote...
    @Keif
    September 21, 2012 10:12 pm
    We taxpayers should be used to it by now. Our money is the government's money, to be redistributed to the "poor".
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • fartforce1 wrote...
    re-redistributed you mean.
    September 22, 2012 3:21 am
    Because starting in 1971 tax breaks have came their way cutting their responsibility down to a miniature version of what it once was and placing that debt on us all, not just to the poor. The most recent is the Bush tax cuts in 2000, the tax cut that distributed the US surplus into the pockets of the rich. Remove Bushes tax cuts and the poor start paying more taxes and so do the rich,keep them and continue to fall further into debt. The republican answer is to find ways to afford those cuts on the backs of programs designed to feed people and by diverting money for schools and teachers and people like you fall for it.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • maplefish wrote...
    These SCUMBAGS
    September 22, 2012 1:44 am
    Are Exactly like Michelle & Barak Obama....hopefully this November the American voters will figure that out....
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • fartforce1 wrote...
    What they are finding out is
    September 22, 2012 3:24 am
    that Republicans are a bunch of liars selling bad people as candidates tot eh us so they can find other ways to rip the people off. Like privatizing Social security and Medicare so private companies can take profits by reducing payments, those are your republican gods you love so much, foolish little fish.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • maplefish wrote...
    Yeah Right Fartforce
    September 22, 2012 11:33 am
    Grow up man, you sound like an uneducated, misguided twit. Which I don't believe is true as some of your posts are actually quite intelligent. Barak Obama is an absolute fraud and a failure as President. He is nothing more than a celebrity and We The People do not need another celebrity. You need to pay attention to Romney/ Ryan's platforms for fixing this country. Do you actually believe that 4 more years of NOTHING but EXCUSES will fix this country? I sure don't.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • hpitantso wrote...
    fishmaple...SCUMBAGS ...Exactly like Michelle & Barak Obama....
    September 22, 2012 11:47 pm
    What a coward.What a coward. "If you don't stand for something you'll fall for anything" Coward maplefish tell evevyone why you really hate Michelle Obama? Most on this site express tell the truth. Why are you scared to stand for your hate of her ....
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • hpitantso wrote...
    President Barack Obama and family are Black... fishmaple
    September 23, 2012 12:20 am
    Take advantage of a little male testosterone coward.Stop editing your weak comments it's okay.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
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