By: Richard L. Smith
What began as routine benefits paperwork turned into a five-year fraud, investigators say. 
An Elizabeth woman and her two adult children are accused of submitting falsified documents to skim more than $80,000 from a county housing assistance program, according to an information release from Union County Prosecutor William A. Daniel.
Prosecutors charged Alicia Rivera, 55; Lorena Rivera, 30; and George Garavito, 34 with second-degree theft by deception, second-degree theft by unlawful taking, second-degree conspiracy to commit theft, third-degree falsifying records, third-degree tampering with public records, and fourth-degree false swearing.
An investigation by the Union County Prosecutor’s Office Special Prosecutions Unit—led by Assistant Prosecutor James Brady and Detective Jessica Tattoli—alleges the trio submitted fraudulent paperwork to the Union County Housing Assistance Payments (HAP) Program for more than five years and made additional false claims to boost their benefits.
Alicia and Lorena Rivera were arrested in Elizabeth on September 10, 2025, officials said. George Garavito was arrested in Indiana on September 26, 2025 and is awaiting extradition to New Jersey. 
All three are scheduled to appear in court on November 6, 2025.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Jessica Tattoli of the Special Prosecutions Unit at 908-527-4325.