Massachusetts Woman Pleads Guilty to Representative Payee Fraud

From the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Massachusetts:

BOSTON – A North Attleboro woman pleaded guilty today to stealing $32,439 in government benefits from a disabled man whose financial affairs she was managing.

Wendy Mairle, 49, pleaded guilty to converting Social Security payments. In April 2015, Mairle was charged in a felony information. U.S. District Court Senior Judge Mark L. Wolf scheduled sentencing for Aug. 18, 2015.

In 2012, Mairle became the representative payee for the monthly Social Security disability payments of a man who was in full-time residential treatment at a local hospital. As a representative payee, Mairle was required to spend the Social Security payments on the man’s behalf. From May 2012 to May 2014, Mairle received $45,255 from the Social Security Administration (SSA), but she only spent $12,816 on the disabled man’s behalf and spent the remaining $32,439 on herself, including a vacation to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

This case was brought as part of an ongoing effort by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in partnership with the SSA to investigate and prosecute fraud pertaining to Social Security disability benefits.

In March 2015, Emily Lardiero, of Revere was sentenced to three years of probation, including six months of home confinement, and was ordered to pay $47,671 in restitution to SSA and $40,391 in restitution to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Lardiero worked and earned income for several years, despite telling SSA that she was still disabled and not earning income in order to continue receiving disability benefits. She also illegally received HUD rental subsidies for several years.

In July 2014, Charles Flynn and Steven Grondell, of Georgetown, were each sentenced to three years of probation, including six months of home confinement, and were ordered to serve 105 hours of community service and to pay $105,158 in restitution to SSA. Flynn received SSA disability benefits while working under Grondell’s identity, and with his permission, to conceal the work from SSA.

Also in July 2014, Carl Lynch, of Ware, was sentenced to three years of probation, including six months of home confinement, and was ordered to pay $50,264 in restitution to SSA. Lynch received SSA disability benefits while working under another man’s identity to conceal the work from SSA.

In January 2014, Antonio Pulinario Brea, of the Dominican Republic, was sentenced to ten months in prison and was ordered to pay $60,455 in restitution to SSA. Pulinario Brea used the identity of an American citizen to obtain SSA disability benefits that he was not entitled to receive under his true identity.

United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz and Scott Antolik, Special Agent in Charge of the Office of Inspector General, Social Security Administration, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Division, made the announcement today. The Mairle case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Landry of Ortiz’s Major Crimes Unit.

BOSTON – A North Attleboro woman pleaded guilty today to stealing $32,439 in government benefits from a disabled man whose financial affairs she was managing.

Wendy Mairle, 49, pleaded guilty to converting Social Security payments. In April 2015, Mairle was charged in a felony information. U.S. District Court Senior Judge Mark L. Wolf scheduled sentencing for Aug. 18, 2015.

In 2012, Mairle became the representative payee for the monthly Social Security disability payments of a man who was in full-time residential treatment at a local hospital. As a representative payee, Mairle was required to spend the Social Security payments on the man’s behalf. From May 2012 to May 2014, Mairle received $45,255 from the Social Security Administration (SSA), but she only spent $12,816 on the disabled man’s behalf and spent the remaining $32,439 on herself, including a vacation to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

This case was brought as part of an ongoing effort by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in partnership with the SSA to investigate and prosecute fraud pertaining to Social Security disability benefits.

In March 2015, Emily Lardiero, of Revere was sentenced to three years of probation, including six months of home confinement, and was ordered to pay $47,671 in restitution to SSA and $40,391 in restitution to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Lardiero worked and earned income for several years, despite telling SSA that she was still disabled and not earning income in order to continue receiving disability benefits. She also illegally received HUD rental subsidies for several years.

In July 2014, Charles Flynn and Steven Grondell, of Georgetown, were each sentenced to three years of probation, including six months of home confinement, and were ordered to serve 105 hours of community service and to pay $105,158 in restitution to SSA. Flynn received SSA disability benefits while working under Grondell’s identity, and with his permission, to conceal the work from SSA.

Also in July 2014, Carl Lynch, of Ware, was sentenced to three years of probation, including six months of home confinement, and was ordered to pay $50,264 in restitution to SSA. Lynch received SSA disability benefits while working under another man’s identity to conceal the work from SSA.

In January 2014, Antonio Pulinario Brea, of the Dominican Republic, was sentenced to ten months in prison and was ordered to pay $60,455 in restitution to SSA. Pulinario Brea used the identity of an American citizen to obtain SSA disability benefits that he was not entitled to receive under his true identity.

United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz and Scott Antolik, Special Agent in Charge of the Office of Inspector General, Social Security Administration, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Division, made the announcement today. The Mairle case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Landry of Ortiz’s Major Crimes Unit.