CONCORD – Jane B. Smith, 65, of Hudson, pleaded guilty in federal court on Thursday to attempted wire fraud and making false statements, Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Smith began receiving Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) payments in 1993. She was required to report any changes in her employment and income to the Social Security Administration (SSA). However, between 2007 and 2018, Smith worked for multiple employers, including the IRS, and failed to report her employment to the SSA. The SSA learned of Smith’s employment and suspended her benefits several times during that time period. On each occasion, Smith took steps to cause the SSA to provide her with SSDI benefit payments that she was not entitled to receive.
In February of 2018, Smith filed a false police report with the Nashua Police Department claiming that she was the victim of identity theft and that someone else had used her name to work for her employers. She also made similar false statements to the IRS and SSA in efforts to secure benefits that she was not entitled to receive. In February of 2021, Smith admitted to federal agents that she had lied about her work and falsely claimed to be the victim of identity theft because she did not want to lose her benefits. As a result of her criminal conduct, Smith obtained over $90,000 in benefits that she was not entitled to receive.
Smith is scheduled to be sentenced on January 13, 2022.
“While Social Security Disability Benefits provide important financial support for qualified individuals, some criminals seek to take advantage of this system,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Farley. “By lying about her employment and falsely claiming to be a victim of identity theft, this defendant sought to exploit this program to obtain money that she knew she was not entitled to receive. As this case shows, we work closely with the Office of the Inspector General to identify fraud and protect the integrity of Social Security’s benefit programs.”
This matter was investigated by the Social Security Administration’s Office of the Inspector General and U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration. The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander S. Chen and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew T. Hunter.
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