The National Fraud Enforcement Division of the U.S. Department of Justice has filed charges against 17 individuals linked to various fraud schemes aimed at exploiting benefits from the Social Security Administration (SSA), including Supplemental Security Income (SSI).
On Tuesday, the DOJ disclosed that between August 21 and September 18, it collaborated with U.S. attorneys across 11 districts, resulting in allegations of a collective intended loss of approximately $1.3 million to the U.S.
One notable case involves Eva Bratcher from the Northern District of Illinois, accused of stealing around $21,400. Bratcher allegedly concealed her deceased mother’s body in a freezer for two years while fraudulently collecting SSA and SNAP benefits under her mother’s name. She is facing charges of theft and fraud, with potential prison sentences of up to 10 and 5 years, respectively, if convicted.
In another instance, David Darling from the Northern District of New York reportedly withdrew funds from his late brother’s ATM card starting the day after his brother’s death, totaling about $109,746 in illegally obtained Social Security funds. He faces multiple charges, including access device fraud and theft of government property, with considerable prison time on the line.
Debra Reed from the Western District of Pennsylvania is charged after her father passed away on November 23, 2020, but the SSA continued to send retirement payments, amounting to around $59,070. Authorities suspect that she either directly took this money or facilitated its misappropriation through her daughter.
Laura Whisenant, who acted as a representative payee for her uncle, is also facing charges after allegedly embezzling almost $122,000 of her uncle’s SSA benefits over a seven-year period. Reports revealed that her uncle lived in horrendous conditions with no basic utilities, leading to his relocation to an assisted living facility due to malnourishment. Investigators noted numerous suspicious transactions related to Whisenant’s spending habits during the time frame in question.
Keshaune Pace, known also as Keshaune Jenkins from Southeast Michigan, is accused of committing Social Security representative payee fraud while fraudulently receiving benefits for her disabled son, which she misrepresented after losing custody of him. She allegedly misused approximately $30,000 of these funds.
In addition to these cases, several others have been charged, including:
- Tammy Phillips, accused of stealing $65,000;
- Israel Gonzalez, accused of stealing $139,952;
- John Zaccaria, accused of stealing $143,685;
- Sherry Freude, accused of stealing $100,845;
- Lisa Martinez, accused of stealing $50,501;
- Stacey L. Stoudermire, accused of stealing $31,237;
- Ruthie M. Lewis, accused of stealing $33,131;
- Lizbeth A. Reinhard, accused of stealing $170,166;
- Carrie Miller, accused of stealing $50,658;
- Calandra Davis, accused of stealing $53,234;
- Tammy Hopkins, accused of stealing $98,879;
- Darlette Williams, accused of stealing $46,844.
The investigation also involved cooperation from the U.S. Attorney of the Southern District of California, despite none of the accused originating from that area.
Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald emphasized the critical importance of protecting the SSA’s benefits for the nation’s vulnerable populations, underscoring the impact of fraud on retirees’ access to essential needs. He asserted that the findings from these cases are just a glimpse into the wider issue of fraud being addressed by his division.
SSA Commissioner Frank Bisignano highlighted that the current administration has equipped the federal government with the necessary tools to actively pursue and eliminate fraud throughout its systems.
