Massachusetts Woman Sentenced for Social Security Fraud

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

 

BOSTON – An East Boston woman was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Boston for fraudulently obtaining over $50,000 in Social Security benefits.

 

Patricia Grifoni, 53, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Senior Judge Mark L. Wolf to one year of probation and ordered to pay $95,515 in restitution. In December 2016, she pleaded guilty to Social Security fraud.

 

In 1993, Grifoni began receiving Social Security Supplemental Security Income disability benefits on behalf of her disabled daughter. These benefits are based, in part, on the financial need of the family with whom the child lives. Beginning in 1995, Grifoni told Social Security that her husband no longer lived with her. Therefore, the Social Security Administration did not include her husband’s income when calculating her daughter’s benefits. In reality, Grifoni’s husband lived in the same household as Grifoni and their daughter since at least 2005, and his income would have made their daughter financially ineligible to receive benefits from 2005 to 2011. As a result, Grifoni illegally collected $51,530 in benefits on her daughter’s behalf.

 

Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb 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. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Landry of Weinreb’s Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.

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

 

BOSTON – An East Boston woman was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Boston for fraudulently obtaining over $50,000 in Social Security benefits.

 

Patricia Grifoni, 53, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Senior Judge Mark L. Wolf to one year of probation and ordered to pay $95,515 in restitution. In December 2016, she pleaded guilty to Social Security fraud.

 

In 1993, Grifoni began receiving Social Security Supplemental Security Income disability benefits on behalf of her disabled daughter. These benefits are based, in part, on the financial need of the family with whom the child lives. Beginning in 1995, Grifoni told Social Security that her husband no longer lived with her. Therefore, the Social Security Administration did not include her husband’s income when calculating her daughter’s benefits. In reality, Grifoni’s husband lived in the same household as Grifoni and their daughter since at least 2005, and his income would have made their daughter financially ineligible to receive benefits from 2005 to 2011. As a result, Grifoni illegally collected $51,530 in benefits on her daughter’s behalf.

 

Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb 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. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Landry of Weinreb’s Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.