⏱ 2 min read
Gloria Burggraf, a 70-year-old woman from Prairie Village, Kansas, has admitted to defrauding the Social Security Administration. Burggraf pleaded guilty in federal court to collecting nearly $95,000 in benefits over a four-year period after her former husband’s death in March 2021. She was aware that she was receiving her late husband’s benefits in error but failed to report it. The crime occurred in Kansas City, Missouri, and was investigated by the Social Security Office of the Inspector General.
Burggraf’s plea agreement states that she was receiving her own Social Security retirement benefits in a joint account with her late husband. After his death, she continued to collect his benefits, totaling nearly $95,000 over four years. Under federal statutes, Burggraf faces a sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison without parole.
The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda K. Hanson and is part of the Department of Justice’s efforts to combat fraud. The National Fraud Enforcement Division, established in April, is focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people.
Burggraf’s sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress, but the actual sentence will be determined by the court based on advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
📋 Key Facts
- Crime: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Defendant: Kansas
- Location: MO
- Source: DOJ Press Release
