The Medicaid fraud amnesty program offered to Ocean County residents after 26 people were arrested last summer in a massive sweep has resulted in consent agreements with 159 residents who will repay $2.2 million, state officials announced Tuesday.

The announcement comes more than three months after the Dec. 12 deadline to enter the Ocean County Recipient Voluntary Disclosure Program.

The Office of the State Comptroller launched the pilot program in September after federal and state authorities charged more than two dozen people, all members of Lakewood's orthodox Jewish community, with various fraud offenses.

In many cases, the residents were accused of falsely reporting or misreporting income to become eligible for assistance programs.

Over the next few months, anyone who came forward to acknowledge fraud in the amnesty program will be required to return the money. All will be ineligible for Medicaid for a one year.

The information obtained through the program was turned over to the state treasury and Social Security to see if applicants owe taxes on unreported income or have taken other unwarranted benefits.

More than half of Lakewood's 43,000 children live in homes drawing some kind of public assistance. More than 100,000 people reside in Lakewood.

Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JeffSGoldman. Find NJ.com on Facebook.