BOSTON – A hard-hitting sentence was meted out yesterday in federal court as Gina Llerena-Donohue, a 62-year-old Spencer woman, faced justice for her fraudulent schemes involving Social Security benefits.
Llerena-Donohue was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman to time served – approximately one day in prison – and an additional three years of supervised release. The defendant was also ordered to pay restitution totaling $45,154. In April 2025, she pleaded guilty to a single count of bank fraud.
From February 2006 through May 2021, Llerena-Donohue siphoned off approximately $41,954 in Social Security benefits and an additional $3,200 in COVID economic impact payments. The defendant, who held power of attorney for a deceased Social Security beneficiary since January 2006, failed to report the death to either the Social Security Administration or the bank where the funds were deposited. Instead, she continued to access the improperly paid benefits through numerous counter cash withdrawals.
Further investigation revealed that Llerena-Donohue submitted four false affidavits between 2018 and 2019 to the bank, falsely claiming that her power of attorney was still valid despite the beneficiary’s death. This brazen act of deception led to her downfall.
The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Nagelberg of the Major Crimes Unit, with United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Amy Connelly, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, Boston Field Division, announcing the charges against Llerena-Donohue.
This conviction serves as a stark reminder of the consequences faced by those who seek to defraud the social security system for personal gain. The justice system has delivered its verdict, and Llerena-Donohue will now face the repercussions of her actions.
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Key Facts
- State: Massachusetts
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes|Public Corruption
- Source: Official Source ↗
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