New York, NEW YORK

Role Model #563

June 21, 2008 - A city teacher was arrested for allegedly lying about her income to collect $27,000 in housing subsidies, authorities said.

Wendy Aponte, 34, collected Section 8 rental assistance by misreporting her income from 2004 to 2007, according to the Department of Investigation. She claimed to make between $7,268 and $21,624, while she was actually earning between $26,905 and $49,245 as a full-time teacher in a city school.

"Misrepresenting income to obtain Section 8 benefits drains valuable rental subsidies from some of the most vulnerable in the city," said DOI Commissioner Rose Gill Hearn.