COLUMBIA, S.C. — A federal jury has delivered a guilty verdict against Cynthia Delores Holland, 61, a former county director of voter registration and elections from Aiken, for fraudulently obtaining Social Security benefits. The trial, which lasted a day and a half, resulted in a conviction.
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Evidence gathered during the investigation showed that Holland deceitfully claimed her mother’s retirement benefits from the Social Security Administration (SSA) after her mother passed away in 2013. The funds were mistakenly paid into a joint account with her mother and continued to be transferred to Holland until December 2022, when the SSA discovered the error. Over the course of nearly ten years, Holland received more than $168,000.
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In 2021, the SSA identified the discrepancy through its Death Match Project, which compared death records with retirement beneficiaries’ lists. Holland’s mother was on that list, prompting an investigation. “Holland’s actions demonstrated a decade of deception as she continued to receive and spend benefits meant for her deceased mother,” said U.S. Attorney Bryan Stirling for the District of South Carolina.
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Michelle L. Anderson, Acting Inspector General for SSA, added, “Cynthia Holland exploited her own mother’s death to steal from a program designed to support the vulnerable. As a former public official, her deception is particularly troubling.”
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Holland now faces up to 10 years in federal prison, a fine of up to $250,000, restitution, and three years of supervision post-imprisonment. Senior United States District Judge Joseph F. Anderson, Jr., will sentence Holland after reviewing the sentencing report from the U.S. Probation Office.
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This case was investigated by the SSA’s Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Winston Holliday and Scott Matthews are prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.
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Key Facts
- State: South Carolina
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes|Public Corruption
- Source: Official Source ↗
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