A 27-year scam has finally come to an end for a Sacramento woman accused of stealing over $247,000 in Social Security benefits meant for her late mother.
Toni Teresi, 75, pleaded guilty today to theft of government property, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, Teresi’s mother received divorced-spouse Social Security benefits following her ex-husband’s death in 1963. The benefits were deposited into a joint bank account held by Teresi and her mother.
However, Teresi did not report her mother’s death to the Social Security Administration, and the agency continued to deposit the monthly benefits into the joint account from February 1987 to March 2014. Over this 27-year period, the SSA paid approximately $247,236 to the joint account.
Teresi stole the Social Security benefits for her own use, knowing that she was not entitled to the benefits. This case is the product of an investigation by the Office of the Inspector General, Social Security Administration.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert J. Artuz is prosecuting the case. Teresi is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Morrison C. England Jr. on December 13, 2018.
Teresi faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
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Key Facts
- State: California
- Category: White Collar Crime|Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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