NEW ULM — Brown County Welfare Fraud Investigator Preston Cowing told Brown County commissioners Tuesday that 2023 welfare fraud conviction fines were far greater than the previous 13 years. Cowing said two 2023 welfare fraud criminal conviction cases totaled $139,229.22 in fines, most of it restitution. Criminal conviction fines, most of which are usually restitution, were nothing in 2022, $8,448 in 2021, $46,212 in 2020, $58,278.89 in 2019, $32,826 in 2018 and $22,956.62 in 2017 and $1,119 in 2015. In a 2023 felony forgery conviction case, a 40-year-old Coon Rapids woman was ...