Woman collected dad’s Social Security benefits for 10 years after he died, feds say
Instead of reporting her dad’s death after he died in September 2010, authorities say Elizabeth Harris collected his Social Security benefits for over a decade.
The Indiana woman’s scheme came to a stop in January 2021, six months before she was charged in federal court, according to court records.
During those 10 years, officials say Harris fraudulently obtained $192,659 in money that wasn’t hers.
Now she has been ordered to pay back the full amount to the Social Security Administration and sentenced to 36 months of probation with 12 months of home detention, according to a May 2 news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Indiana.
Harris’ sentencing was determined after she pleaded guilty in September 2021 to “participating in a mail fraud scheme to defraud the Social Security Administration,” records show.
Her defense attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment from McClatchy News on May 3.
As part of her scheme, officials say Harris concealed her father’s death in order to collect his financial benefits. She added those funds to a bank account she used for personal expenses, according to officials.
At least three different times after her dad died, Harris submitted forms to the Social Security Administration “falsely representing that (her father) was still alive so that she could continue collecting and using his SSA benefits,” according to the indictment filed in court.
The benefits were sent via direct deposit into Harris’ account from as early as 2013 through about January 2019, officials say. From February 2019 through February 2021, authorities say she received his checks by mail.
As part of her plea, Harris faced up to 20 years in prison, a fine up to double what she inherited and three years of supervised release.
In the government’s sentencing memorandum, it acknowledged that “a sentence at the low-end of the Guidelines range is fair and reasonable under all circumstances.”
Officials said her sentencing for defrauding the government was an appropriate punishment that also should deter other representative payees from doing as Harris did.
“Defendant Harris overcame a difficult upbringing and other domestic challenges, earning a degree in practical nursing and becoming a patient care technician, while also raising children,” authorities said. “Although she is capable of earning an honest living, she deceived and defrauded SSA for many years. On the other hand, she has taken responsibility for her offense by timely pleading guilty, and she has agreed to repay the money she stole.”
Nigerian couple used names of the ‘highly acclaimed’ in elaborate fraud scheme, feds say
Man stole twin’s identity to get $63K in veteran benefits, feds say. He’s prison bound
Grocery store owner stole $4.1 million from government in food stamp scam, feds say
