Pittsburgh Resident Indicted for Concealing Marriage in Order to Continue to Receive Social Security Benefits

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

PITTSBURGH, PA - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges related to her theft of Social Security benefits, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.

The three-count Indictment charges Jacqueline Waters, 55, with one count of theft of government property, one count of make a false statement to retain Social Security Income benefits, and one count of fraudulent concealment to retain Social Security Income benefits. According to the Indictment, between July 2004 and July 2018, Waters concealed from the Social Security Administration a common law marriage that would have affected her continued eligibility for Social Security Income benefits by repeatedly failing to disclose that she lived with her spouse, including during a Social Security redetermination on or about May 14, 2018.

The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not more than ten years in prison for theft of government property and five years in prison for the false statement and fraudulent concealment charges. The maximum fine per count is $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

Assistant United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Social Security Administration – Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.

An Indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

PITTSBURGH, PA - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges related to her theft of Social Security benefits, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.

The three-count Indictment charges Jacqueline Waters, 55, with one count of theft of government property, one count of make a false statement to retain Social Security Income benefits, and one count of fraudulent concealment to retain Social Security Income benefits. According to the Indictment, between July 2004 and July 2018, Waters concealed from the Social Security Administration a common law marriage that would have affected her continued eligibility for Social Security Income benefits by repeatedly failing to disclose that she lived with her spouse, including during a Social Security redetermination on or about May 14, 2018.

The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not more than ten years in prison for theft of government property and five years in prison for the false statement and fraudulent concealment charges. The maximum fine per count is $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

Assistant United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Social Security Administration – Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.

An Indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.