By Thomas Moriarty | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

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William Friedman appears in Superior Court in Toms River by video conference on Wednesday after being arrested Tuesday night. Friedman is one of 14 Lakewood residents suspected of defrauding government-assistance programs. (Patti Sapone | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

Since FBI agents and county detectives began knocking on doors in the township Monday morning, Lakewood residents have been roiled by what has been describe as a multi-agency probe of alleged benefits fraud. To date, 14 people have been accused of wrongfully collecting nearly $2 million in public assistance by underreporting their incomes.

Five couples have been charged in state Superior Court with theft by deception, while two others have been charged in U.S. District Court with conspiring to steal government funds. Here's who they are:

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Zalmen (left) and Tzipporah Sorotzkin. (Ocean County Prosecutor's Office)

Zalmen and Tzipporah Sorotzkin

The rabbi of Congregation Lutzk, at 520 New Egypt Road, has been charged with his wife of second-degree theft by deception, and is accused of wrongfully collecting $338,642 in Medicaid, food stamp, Housing and Urban Development and Supplementary Security Income benefits between January 2009 and April 2014.

The couple live in a home built last year at a net value of $885,100, according to tax records. The home, which is owned by the synagogue and classified under "church and charitable property," had a taxable value of $18,212.88 in 2016, records show.

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Mordechai (left) and Jocheved Breskin. (Ocean County Prosecutor's Office)

Mordechai and Jocheved Breskin

The Breskins have been charged with second-degree theft by deception, and are accused of wrongfully collecting approximately $585,662 in Medicaid, food stamp, HUD and SSI benefits between January 2009 thru December 2014.

The couple lives in a home last assessed at a total value of $484,300, county tax records show. The home's owner, Zebra Holdings LLC, was taxed $14,189.99 for the property in 2016.

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Mordechai (left) and Rachel Sorotzkin, shown leaving the federal courthouse in Trenton on Monday following their initial appearance on benefits theft charges. (Cristina Rojas | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

Mordechai and Rachel Sorotzkin

Mordechai Sorotzkin, the brother of state defendant Zalmen Sorotzkin, was charged by the FBI in U.S. District Court along with his wife. Both face one count each of conspiring to steal government funds. The couple has been accused of wrongfully collecting approximately $96,000 in Medicaid and other benefits by underreporting at least $1.5 million in income from a limited-liability corporation — identified in tax records as Brain Builders LLC, an autism-treatment provider — that authorities said Rachel Sorotzkin was a partner in.

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Yocheved (second from left) and Shimon Nussbaum leave federal court in Trenton on Monday following their initial appearance on benefits theft charges. (Cristina Rojas | NJ.com)

Yocheved and Shimon Nussbaum

Yocheved and Shimon Nussbaum also have been charged in federal court with conspiring to steal government funds, and have been accused by the FBI of wrongfully collecting $178,000 in Medicaid and other benefits by underreporting more than $2 million in income. The couple controlled a number of businesses run by relatives, including a daycare and a real estate company, according to a criminal complaint filed in federal court.

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Yitzchok (left) and Sora Kanarek. (Ocean County Prosecutor's Office)

Yitzchok and Sora Kanarek

The Kanareks were arrested late Tuesday night on state charges of second-degree theft by deception, and have been accused by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office of wrongfully collecting approximately $339,002 in Medicaid, food stamp, housing and SSI benefits between January 2009 and July 2014.

The couple live in a home owned assessed in 2016 at a net value of $375,800, according to tax records. The home's owners, another family in Lakewood, were taxed $11,010.94 for the property that year.

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Chaim (left) and Liatt Ehrman. (Ocean County Prosecutor's Office)

Chaim and Liatt Ehrman

One of three couples arrested Tuesday night, the Ehrmans also face charges of second-degree theft by deception, and have been accused of collecting approximately $185,692.22 in benefits that prosecutors said included Hurricane Sandy relief payments. The couple’s home, which they purchased in 2013, was last assessed at $366,000, according to tax records. The property was taxed at $10,741.38 in 2016, records show.

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William (left) and Faigy Friedman. (Ocean County Prosecutor's Office)

William and Faigy Friedman

The prosecutor’s office said the Friedmans, who also were arrested Tuesday, collected approximately $149,842 in benefits they weren’t entitled to, including payments from the state’s Home Energy Assistance Program. The couple live in a home they purchased last May for $220,000. The property was taxed at $7,738.13 that year, records show.

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Ocean County Prosecutor Joseph Coronato, shown here in a file photo. (Andrew Mills | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

Expect more arrests, authorities say

The prosecutor's office has confirmed more arrests are pending, and a defense attorney for a couple charged in a similar previous case said the number yet to be charged could be up to 10 or more.

One rabbi who is a member of the Lakewood Vaad, a council of prominent Orthodox leaders in the township, told NJ Advance Media on Thursday that the Vaad plans to hold informational meetings about the lawful use of social services.

In a statement, the Vaad said it was "saddened beyond words," and the rabbi cautioned that stealing from benefits programs is considered the same as theft from friends or neighbors.

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Related coverage:

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Luke Nozicka contributed to this report.

Thomas Moriarty may be reached at tmoriarty@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @ThomasDMoriarty. Find NJ.com on Facebook.