U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of North Carolina RALEIGH, N.C. – A Raleigh woman was sentenced to 15 months in prison for defrauding the Social Security Administration.  On June 26, 2024, Mary Elizabeth Workman pled guilty to one count of theft of government funds. “Stealing from the system is stealing from those who truly need…

U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Louisiana NEW ORLEANS – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that PENELOPE PASSERO (“PASSERO”), age 50, of Westwego, Louisiana, was sentenced on December 10, 2024 for Theft of Government Funds, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 641. According to court documents, from February 2016 to December 2020, PASSERO knowingly accessed…

U.S. Attorney’s Office, Western District of Pennsylvania PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was sentenced in federal court on December 5, 2024, to 30 months of probation and ordered to pay $95,100 in restitution to the Social Security Administration (SSA) on a charge of theft of government property, United States Attorney Eric G.…

U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Massachusetts BOSTON – A Lawrence man was charged today in federal court in Boston with scheming to fraudulently obtain and misuse COVID-19 relief funds and stealing Social Security benefits. Randolph Dominguez, 57, was charged with one count of wire fraud and one count of theft of government money. Dominguez will…

United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that U.S. District Judge John W. deGravelles sentenced Eric Jason Schouest, age 53, of Plaquemine, Louisiana, to 30 months in federal prison following his convictions for embezzlement and bank fraud.  The Court further sentenced Schouest to serve two years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment…

U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of New Jersey NEWARK, N.J. – A New York man who previously worked as a claims specialist with the U.S. Social Security Administration admitted yesterday to acting as a courier for a Dominican Republic-based “grandparent scam” that targeted elderly Americans. Victor Anthony Valdez, 39, of the Bronx, New York, pleaded guilty…

Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on December 2, 2024, Maryann Manning, 63, of Wolcott, Vermont, was sentenced by Chief United States District Judge Christina Reiss to two years of probation. Chief Judge Reiss also ordered Manning to pay restitution to the Social Security Administration in…

TRENTON, N.J. – A Somerset County, New Jersey, man today admitted stealing more than $600,000 in federal benefits that were intended for his deceased father, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced. Steven Jones, 66, of Somerset, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Robert Kirsch in Trenton federal court today to an information charging…

NEWARK, N.J. – A Union County, New Jersey, man today admitted his role in a scheme to fraudulently obtain a Payroll Protection Program (PPP) loan, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced. Joseph McKeon, aka “Jay McKeon,” 54, of Westfield, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Julien Xavier Neals in Newark federal court to…

JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A resident of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of violating federal fraud laws, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. Patty Merlo, 66, pleaded guilty to Count One of the Indictment before United States District Judge Stephanie L. Haines. In connection with the guilty plea, the…