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Revere Woman Bilks $88K in Disability & Housing Aid
BOSTON – Emily Lardiero, 64, of Revere, is trading years of freedom for probation after admitting to a brazen scheme to siphon off over $88,000 in government benefits. U.S. District Court Judge Rya W. Zobel handed down the sentence today, a mix of home confinement and restitution aimed at clawing back the stolen funds.
Lardiero pleaded guilty in December 2014 to two counts of stealing public money. The scheme stretched back to 2003, when she began receiving Supplemental Security Income disability benefits. The catch? She conveniently “forgot” to mention her employment at Action Emergency Services, a family business, or any income derived from it. During a 2013 benefits review, Lardiero swore she was still disabled and broke, a blatant lie that allowed the fraud to continue. The SSA was ultimately stiffed for $47,671.
But that wasn’t enough. Lardiero also illegally pocketed $40,391 in rental assistance from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) since 2001. She became the sole trustee of the trust that owned the house she lived in, giving her effective control of the property while continuing to claim rental subsidies – a clear violation of program rules. An accomplice received the monthly HUD payments and funneled the cash directly to Lardiero, masking the illicit transfer.
This case isn’t an isolated incident. Federal prosecutors are cracking down on benefit fraud across Massachusetts. Just last year, Charles Flynn and Steven Grondell of Georgetown each received three years of probation and were ordered to pay $105,158 in restitution for a similar scheme involving Flynn working under Grondell’s identity. Carl Lynch of Ware faced a similar sentence and restitution order for concealing work while receiving disability benefits. Even an individual from the Dominican Republic, Antonio Pulinario Brea, received ten months in prison for using a false identity to claim benefits.
U.S. Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz, along with Scott Antolik of the Social Security Administration’s Office of Inspector General and Christina Scaringi of HUD’s Office of Inspector General, announced the sentencing. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Landry of Ortiz’s Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the Lardiero case, signaling a continued focus on rooting out those who exploit taxpayer-funded programs.
Lardiero’s sentence includes three years of probation, with the first six months served under home confinement. She’s been ordered to pay $47,671 in restitution to the Social Security Administration and $40,391 to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. While probation keeps her out of prison, the financial burden will likely linger for years to come.
Key Facts
- State: Massachusetts
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: White Collar Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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