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St. Paul Day Care Owner Accused Of Swindling State Assistance Program

ST. PAUL, Minn. (WCCO) – A former St. Paul day care owner is accused of swindling more than $11,000 from a state program designed to help low-income families pay for child care.

Said Jire Kalinle, 43, is charged with one count of theft by swindle and one count of identity theft, court documents filed in Ramsey County say.

"These criminal acts hurt our entire community – those who are in need of assistance and those who pay for it – our taxpayers," Ramsey County Attorney John Choi said in a statement on Tuesday.

According to a criminal complaint, investigators found that Kalinle would bill Minnesota's Child Care Assistance Program for taking care of a number of children when his business, Mumtaaz Family Day Care Center, wasn't even open.

Kalinle is accused of doing this from February of 2014 to May of 2014, stealing at least $11,400 from the state program.

Investigators also say that Kalinle billed the program for more than $5,000 for taking care of children on days when the business was open but the children weren't present.

Mumtaaz Family Day Care Center has since closed. However, the criminal complaint states that a former employee told investigators that Kalinle's relatives bought the business from him and reopened it this year under a different name.

They also said that Kalinle is still a "silent" partner at the new business.

He is slated to appear in court on Oct. 14.

If convicted of both charges against him, Kalinle faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and/or a $40,000 fine.

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