MARYANNE STEPHENS, Theft of Public Money, Connecticut 2016

ROCKY HILL, Conn. – A former resident of this sleepy suburban town has been sentenced to prison for her role in a brazen scheme to steal Social Security retirement benefits from her deceased mother-in-law’s bank account.

MARYANNE STEPHENS, 69, of Ireland, formerly of Rocky Hill, Conn., was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall in New Haven to three months of imprisonment, followed by one year of supervised release, for stealing approximately $126,000 in Social Security retirement benefits that had been deposited into her deceased mother-in-law’s bank account.

According to court documents and statements made in court, STEPHENS’ mother-in-law began receiving Social Security retirement benefits in 1971. Her mother-in-law died in October 1998. However, approximately $204,000 in Social Security retirement benefits were directly deposited into her mother-in-law’s bank account after her death.

On November 28, 2016, STEPHENS pleaded guilty to one count of theft of public money. In pleading guilty, she admitted that from approximately March 2004 to December 2010, she forged her mother-in-law’s signature on bank checks in order to fraudulently obtain the benefits.

STEPHENS has been released on a $200,000 bond since her arrest on April 20, 2016. She was ordered to report to prison on April 3, 2017.

The case highlights the ease with which some individuals can exploit the system to line their own pockets. STEPHENS’ actions were a betrayal of her mother-in-law’s trust and a reminder that no one is above the law.

This matter was investigated by the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Neeraj N. Patel.

STEPHENS will serve her prison time and then be subject to one year of supervised release, during which time she will be required to perform 75 hours of community service and pay restitution to the Social Security Administration.

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