SSA Worker Tiffanie Foster Hit with COVID-19 Fraud Charges

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – In a stunning turn of events, Tiffanie Foster, 48, a woman employed by the Social Security Administration (SSA) in Kansas City, has been charged with wire fraud for defrauding the United States government out of pandemic benefits. Foster is accused of obtaining over $30,000 in unemployment benefits and a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan through fraudulent means.

Foster faces two counts of wire fraud for receiving pandemic funds, which she used to her advantage while employed as a full-time customer service representative with the SSA. The charges stem from an investigation that revealed Foster submitted altered tax and bank documents, along with fraudulent statements, to secure both the PPP loan and unemployment benefits.

The Pandemic Response Accountability Committee identified Foster’s personal identifying information on a list of SSA employees whose details were used to apply for pandemic assistance loans or unemployment benefits. Foster was quick to exploit this opportunity, applying for unemployment benefits in Michigan, despite living in Missouri and being fully employed by the SSA. Her fraudulent activities spanned across 2020 and 2021.

In early 2021, Foster’s greed knew no bounds as she applied for a PPP loan for her business. She provided an altered tax form 1040 Schedule C and a falsified bank statement to inflate her balance, ultimately securing a $20,833 loan that was later forgiven by the Small Business Administration.

Despite the serious nature of the charges, they are merely accusations at this stage. Foster’s guilt or innocence will be determined by a federal trial jury, who will weigh the evidence presented against her.

Under federal statutes, if convicted, Foster faces up to 20 years in federal prison without parole and three years of supervised release on each count. A sentencing hearing is expected after completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda K. Hanson. The Social Security Administration’s Office of the Inspector General and the Department of Labor’s Office of the Inspector General conducted the investigation.