Former SSA Employee Sentenced to 46 Months in Prison for $550,000 Social Security Fraud Scheme

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

SOUTH BEND - Sharon Ramos, age 56, of South Bend, Indiana was sentenced before District Court Judge Jon E. DeGuilio for ten counts of making false entries in government records, two counts of conversion of government money, and one count of wire fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Thomas L. Kirsch II.

Ramos, convicted after a four-day jury trial in November 2017, was sentenced to 46 months’ imprisonment and ordered to pay restitution to the Social Security Administration in the amount of $550,383.66.

According to testimony during the trial, from approximately January 2008 and continuing until around December 2013, Ramos devised a scheme to defraud the Social Security Administration by means of materially false and fraudulent pretenses, representations, and promises.  Ramos, then an employee of the Social Security Administration, made numerous false and fictitious representations in Supplemental Security Income (SSI) accounts of numerous SSI claimants.  These improper entries in the accounts resulted in numerous SSI claimants obtaining payments they were not eligible to receive.  As a result, Ramos fraudulently converted money belonging to the Social Security Administration. 

Upon conviction, United States Attorney Kirsch said, “When a public employee misuses her position to break the law and violate the public trust, we will hold the employee accountable for her actions by prosecution. This case is an example of the outstanding work done by the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General to root out fraud and corruption, and in this case, to hold Ms. Ramos accountable for her conduct.”

This case was the result of an investigation by the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Luke N. Reilander and Frank E. Schaffer.

SOUTH BEND - Sharon Ramos, age 56, of South Bend, Indiana was sentenced before District Court Judge Jon E. DeGuilio for ten counts of making false entries in government records, two counts of conversion of government money, and one count of wire fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Thomas L. Kirsch II.

Ramos, convicted after a four-day jury trial in November 2017, was sentenced to 46 months’ imprisonment and ordered to pay restitution to the Social Security Administration in the amount of $550,383.66.

According to testimony during the trial, from approximately January 2008 and continuing until around December 2013, Ramos devised a scheme to defraud the Social Security Administration by means of materially false and fraudulent pretenses, representations, and promises.  Ramos, then an employee of the Social Security Administration, made numerous false and fictitious representations in Supplemental Security Income (SSI) accounts of numerous SSI claimants.  These improper entries in the accounts resulted in numerous SSI claimants obtaining payments they were not eligible to receive.  As a result, Ramos fraudulently converted money belonging to the Social Security Administration. 

Upon conviction, United States Attorney Kirsch said, “When a public employee misuses her position to break the law and violate the public trust, we will hold the employee accountable for her actions by prosecution. This case is an example of the outstanding work done by the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General to root out fraud and corruption, and in this case, to hold Ms. Ramos accountable for her conduct.”

This case was the result of an investigation by the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Luke N. Reilander and Frank E. Schaffer.