Wise County Woman Sentenced for Failing to Disclose Information Regarding Social Security Benefits

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

ABINGDON, Va. – A Norton, Virginia woman was sentenced today to 3 months in prison for failing to disclose information that would have affected her right to continue receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI) disability benefits.

According to court documents, Robin Annette Fultz, 50, received SSI disability benefits for which she was ineligible from July 1, 2009 through November 1, 2019. During this time, Fultz was married to Timothy Fultz, who had full-time employment. Following a brief separation that caused a temporary move to South Carolina in 2008, Robin and Timothy Fultz reconciled in July 2009 and lived together in Wise County from 2009-2019.

Despite this reconciliation, Robin Fultz knowingly and falsely stated on forms that she and her husband had been separated since 2006, that they had not lived together since that time, and that she lived alone while paying rent to a landlord in South Carolina.

In all, Robin Fultz received $85,867 in SSI disability benefits for which she was not eligible.

Fultz pleaded guilty in August 2021 to having knowledge of an event affecting her initial or continued right to receive any Supplemental Security Income as well as concealing or failing to disclose such an event with the intent to fraudulently secure such benefit.

United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh of the Western District of Virginia made the announcement.

The Office of the Inspector General – Social Security Administration investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Lena L. Busscher prosecuted the case.