Waldoboro Woman Pleads Guilty to Social Security Fraud

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

PORTLAND Maine: A Waldoboro woman pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court to Social Security fraud and Theft of Public Money, U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee announced.

According to court records, from about July 2005 through April 2019, Deborah Moore, 68, a recipient of Supplemental Security Income (SSI), concealed the presence of her husband in her household to maintain her eligibility to receive benefit payments. SSI benefits are paid to people with limited income who are blind, disabled or elderly. Moore’s husband had sufficient income to render her ineligible for the benefits she received.

In multiple reviews of her eligibility for benefits, Moore falsely represented to the Social Security Administration (SSA) that she and her husband had separated in July 2005 and had lived separately since that time. At an interview with law enforcement agents, Moore admitted to concealing her living situation from SSA because she knew it would make her ineligible to receive SSI.

Moore faces up to five years in prison on the Social Security fraud charge, up to ten years in prison on the Theft of Public Money charge, a fine of up to $250,000 on both charges, and up to three years of supervised release. She will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.

The investigation was conducted by SSA’s Office of the Inspector General.