Former Amazon executive recruiter Marlene Scott has been sentenced to a month in prison for welfare fraud amounting to more than US$50k (£32k), Seattle’s KOMOnews.com has reported.

Prosecutors said Scott’s mother and sister, both welfare recipients, had moved from the US to Lebanon and were therefore no longer entitled to receive benefits.

Scott lied to caseworkers for several years, telling them her mother and sister still lived with her in Seattle, Washington State, allowing her to collect more than $50k in benefits.

The case went to trial in June but a mistrial was declared after the jury failed to reach a verdict. After the mistrial, US District Court Judge Ronald Leighton said Scott lied on the witness stand.

Scott later accepted a plea deal in which she had to repay $50,973 to the government.

Judge Leighton last Friday (14 November) sentenced Scott to a month in prison.