PHOENIX, Ariz. – The U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, announced today that federal criminal charges have been filed against 11 individuals for theft of government property in connection with an investigation into stolen Social Security Administration (SSA) benefit payments.
The SSA Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation to locate and collect SSA benefit payments that were disbursed to individuals later determined to be deceased. In some cases, these payments continued for years, with no one notifying the SSA of the beneficiary’s death. In addition to the criminal cases listed below resulting in the theft of more than $1.3 million, the SSA was able to use its debt collection and reclamation authority to recover $1,195,333 in nine other matters that were resolved without criminal charges.
The investigation also uncovered evidence of fraud and misuse of SSA benefit payments—often by relatives of the deceased beneficiaries—resulting in felony and misdemeanor charges in the following cases:
United States v. Patricia Munson, Case No. CR-21-00622-PHX-JZB
United States v. Douglas Pasley, Case No. CR-21-00683-PHX-MTM
United States v. Tamara Head, Case No. CR-21-00693-PHX-ESW
United States v. Marva Martin, Case No. CR-21-00716-PHX-SMB
United States v. Dennis Diaz, Case No. CR-21-00842-PHX-MTL
United States v. Kristy Schlueter, Case No. CR-21-00843-PHX-MTL
United States v. Freda Hunt, Case No. CR-21-00844-PHX-DLR
United States v. Karen Hardesty, Case No. CR-21-00919-PHX-MTL
United States v. Joseph McCullough, Case No. CR-21-00950-PHX-ESW
United States v. Carol Harmon, Case No. CR-21-01051-PHX-MHB
United States v. Diana Fast, Case No. CR-22-00279-PHX-JJT
A conviction for theft of public money carries a maximum penalty of 10 years of imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, or both.
An indictment is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until competent evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation in this case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution.
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-045_SSA Fraud
# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
11 Charged With Over $1.3 Million in Social Security Administration Benefits Fraud | USAO-AZ & More United States Latest News Update
11 Charged With Over $1.3 Million in Social Security Administration Benefits Fraud | USAO-AZ & More United States Live News
All this news that I have made and shared for you people, you will like it very much and in it we keep bringing topics for you people like every time so that you keep getting news information like trending topics and you It is our goal to be able to get
all kinds of news without going through us so that we can reach you the latest and best news for free so that you can move ahead further by getting the information of that news together with you. Later on, we will continue
to give information about more today world news update types of latest news through posts on our website so that you always keep moving forward in that news and whatever kind of information will be there, it will definitely be conveyed to you people.
11 Charged With Over $1.3 Million in Social Security Administration Benefits Fraud | USAO-AZ & More United States Trending News Today
All this news that I have brought up to you or will be the most different and best news that you people are not going to get anywhere, along with the information breaking news today of this news, you can get other types of news along with your country and city. You will be able to get information related to, as well as you will be able to get information about what is going on around you through us for free
so that you can make yourself a knowledgeable by getting complete information about your country and state and information about news. Whatever is being given through us, I have tried to bring it to you through other websites, which you may like
very much and if you like all this news, then definitely around you. Along with the people of India, keep sharing such news necessary to your loved ones, let all the news influence them and they can move forward two steps further.
Credit Goes To News Website – This Original Content Owner News Website . This Is Not My Content So If You Want To Read Original Content You Can Follow Below Links