A Highland woman, Amy Mueller, age 40, has pled guilty in Madison County Circuit Court to the charge of aggravated identity theft, in connection with the theft of state assistance money for needy families.
Mueller, who was a caseworker for the Illinois Department of Human Services from 1998 to 2015, was sentenced to four years in state prison and was ordered to pay $30,000 in restitution.
Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan indicated the thefts occurred from 2012 through 2015.
Amy Mueller was a caseworker at the IDHS Madison County Family Community Resource Center.
Prosecutors said Mueller created false benefit accounts, using legitimate clients’ personal information, and then made cash withdrawals. She spent the money for her personal use, including vacations, restaurant visits, tanning sessions and nail salons.
The Illinois Attorney General’s Public Integrity Bureau investigated the case with assistance from IDHS and state police.
