NEWARK, NJ — Janis Miller, a 77-year-old resident of South Orange, New Jersey, has been indicted for wire fraud after allegedly stealing over $1 million in federal retirement benefits intended for her deceased aunt. U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced the charges today, highlighting a scheme that spanned 25 years.
According to court documents, Miller’s aunt passed away in 1998, but the Social Security Administration (SSA) and the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) continued to deposit her retirement and survivor benefits into the deceased’s bank account. Miller accessed these funds through debit card withdrawals, cash withdrawals, and checks forged to a company she controlled.
The fraudulent activity came to light when Miller impersonated her deceased aunt during a 2022 phone call with an SSA employee. The SSA and OPM uncovered the fraud and terminated the benefits in 2023. Miller now faces a maximum of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the pecuniary gain or loss from the offense, whichever is higher.