BOSTON – In a shocking case of posthumous fraud, a Haydenville woman was sentenced to three years of probation and ordered to pay $45,491 in restitution to the Social Security Administration for stealing more than $45,000 of her deceased mother’s Social Security benefits.
Shirley Warner, 52, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni on [missing] for stealing her deceased mother’s Social Security benefits. Warner’s mother died in July 2010, but her monthly Social Security benefits continued to be directly deposited into a joint bank account in her and Warner’s names.
From August 2010 to March 2014, Warner continued to receive her deceased mother’s benefits, totaling $45,491. The case was brought as part of an ongoing effort by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, in partnership with the Social Security Administration, to investigate and prosecute the posthumous fraud of Social Security benefits.
In many of these cases, family members, knowing they are not entitled to government benefits, continue to withdraw and spend the funds after a relative has died. In the past year, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has prosecuted several similar cases involving a total of more than $1 million in stolen government money.
Last month, Lynn Medeiros of New Bedford was sentenced to four months in prison and ordered to pay restitution for stealing over $60,000 in Social Security benefits by continuing to collect her disabled son’s benefits after he left her custody.
Mark Gardner of Abington was also sentenced to three years of probation and ordered to pay restitution and a fine for stealing $65,311 in Social Security benefits. Warner has been ordered to pay a fine of $1,000 and $45,491 in restitution to the Social Security Administration.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Deepika Bains Shukla of Ortiz’s Springfield Branch Office. United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz and Scott Antolik, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Division, made the announcement today.
The defendant’s full name is Shirley Warner, and the exact criminal charges include stealing more than $45,000 of her deceased mother’s Social Security benefits. The city and state are Haydenville, Massachusetts. The exact date of the crime is July 2010. The sentence or outcome is three years of probation and ordered to pay $45,491 in restitution to the Social Security Administration and a fine of $1,000.
Defendant: Shirley Warner
Criminal Charges: Stealing more than $45,000 of her deceased mother’s Social Security benefits
City and State: Haydenville, Massachusetts
Exact Date: July 2010
Sentence or Outcome: Three years of probation and ordered to pay $45,491 in restitution to the Social Security Administration and a fine of $1,000
Related Federal Cases
- Sue E. Delaney, Social Security Benefits Theft, Massachusetts 2024 · Washington
- Robert Crisologo Bobadilla Baez, Social Security Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft, Massachusetts 2019 · Puerto Rico
- Nelson Bolivar, Social Security Identity Theft, Massachusetts 2019 · Massachusetts
- Emily Lardiero, Disability Benefits Theft, Massachusetts 2003 · Rhode Island
- Patricia Grifoni, Social Security Fraud, Massachusetts 2016 · Massachusetts
Key Facts
- State: Massachusetts
- Category: White Collar Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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