14 DAY TRIAL // Nadya Suleman, dubbed Octomom in the media, continues to be in the headlines for all the wrong reasons: having been just recently charged with 3 counts of felony welfare fraud, she was in court hours ago. She and her attorney entered a plea of not guilty.
Suleman’s case is as controversial as it is, for many, infuriating. She became famous in 2009 when she gave birth to healthy octuplets but, in almost no time, she had fallen from grace after it emerged she had another 6 minor children at home and had actually been living on food stamps (i.e. government assistance).
As the public turned on her, she made mistake after mistake by agreeing to do the weirdest things for money (including a dubious adult film and several appearances at events in the same line of work) but, with all that, she still made a profit.
Charges brought against her now mention that she cheated the state out of $16,000 (€11,824) by failing to declare she was making money but still claiming benefits. As the video below confirms, she’s hoping to get off the hook easily by pleading not guilty.
And she probably will, TMZ says.
“Octo faces nearly 6 years of prison, but here's the way it usually works. If she pays what she owes, prosecutors will probably reduce the charge to a misdemeanor and judges usually don't send first time offenders to jail – they get probation and community service,” the celebrity publication writes.
Paying the debt might be a problem since, right before Christmas, there were various reports online that she was being evicted again and would probably have a hard time finding another home for herself, her 14 kids and their 2 nannies.
Suleman had all the children through IVF and, while she doesn’t hold a steady job and the offers for appearances haven’t been what they were, it’s a wonder she’s able to properly provide for her large brood. Thinking she could be able to pay back the state as well right now seems a bit too much.