Wrongfully obtaining assistance.

A person who commits any of the following acts or omissions with intent to defeat the purposes of sections 145.891 to 145.897 , the MFIP program formerly codified in sections 256.031 to 256.0361 , the AFDC program formerly codified in sections 256.72 to 256.871 , chapter 256B, 256D, new text begin 256I, new text end 256J, 256K, or 256L, child care assistance programs, and emergency assistance programs under section 256D.06 , is guilty of theft and shall be sentenced under section 609.52, subdivision 3 , clauses (1) to (5):

(1) obtains or attempts to obtain, or aids or abets any person to obtain by means of a willfully false statement or representation, by intentional concealment of any material fact, or by impersonation or other fraudulent device, assistance or the continued receipt of assistance, to include child care assistance or vouchers produced according to sections 145.891 to 145.897 and MinnesotaCare services according to sections 256.9365 , 256.94 , and 256L.01 to 256L.15 , to which the person is not entitled or assistance greater than that to which the person is entitled;

(2) knowingly aids or abets in buying or in any way disposing of the property of a recipient or applicant of assistance without the consent of the county agency; or

(3) obtains or attempts to obtain, alone or in collusion with others, the receipt of payments to which the individual is not entitled as a provider of subsidized child care, or by furnishing or concurring in a willfully false claim for child care assistance.

The continued receipt of assistance to which the person is not entitled or greater than that to which the person is entitled as a result of any of the acts, failure to act, or concealment described in this subdivision shall be deemed to be continuing offenses from the date that the first act or failure to act occurred.