Men Win Lottery, Stay On Welfare

It looks like winning hundreds of thousands of dollars in the state lottery isn’t enough to get off welfare… at least for two Massachusetts men.

Now, according to State Auditor Suzanne Bump, both men face larceny charges.

Her office alleges James Casey Jr. of Waltham did not tell welfare officials that he had won more than $700,000 while he was collecting more than $12,000 in state health benefits and more than $1,500 in food stamps.

Authorities say Frank Basile of Belmont collected more than $17,000 in state health benefits during the time he won $316,000 on the lottery.

Basile tells The Boston Globe the charges are “a mistake” because his gambling losses are higher than his winnings.