Madison County caseworker charged with theft from needy

EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. (AP) - A 40-year-old southwestern Illinois woman has been charged with stealing nearly $160,000 in public assistance for needy families while she was a state Department of Human Services caseworker.

Amy J. Mueller of Highland was charged Thursday in Madison County with multiple felonies, including aggravated identity theft and official misconduct.

Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan's office says Mueller created fake benefit accounts using personal information of clients at the Madison County Family Community Resource Center.

She allegedly used the money on vacations, restaurant visits, massages, tanning sessions and nail salon trips.

Mueller began working for the state agency in 1998 and remained a state employee until earlier this year.

She could not be reached for comment Thursday, and online court records didn't list an attorney who could speak on her behalf.