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.

Shore News Network Staff Report Latest posts

Shore News Network Staff Report is the official newsroom byline used by Shore News Network when a story is produced through the collaborative work of multiple members of the editorial team rather than a single reporter.

This newsroom account is reserved for articles that involve contributions from multiple journalists, editors, photographers, researchers, or news desk staff. It is also used for developing stories that are updated as new verified information becomes available, as well as for community announcements, weather coverage, public safety alerts, election results, and other newsroom-produced content.

Every article published under the Shore News Network Staff Report byline is reviewed and edited in accordance with the organization's editorial standards for accuracy, fairness, attribution, and transparency. Information is verified through official government agencies, court records, law enforcement, public documents, direct reporting, interviews, and other reliable primary and secondary sources before publication whenever possible.

The Staff Report account does not use artificial intelligence to independently generate news or publish unverified information. AI-assisted tools may occasionally be used for editorial support tasks such as transcription, formatting, grammar review, or workflow efficiency, but all published content is subject to human editorial oversight and approval by Shore News Network's newsroom staff.

As an independently owned digital news organization, Shore News Network is committed to original reporting, public safety journalism, government accountability, local community coverage, and breaking news throughout New Jersey and surrounding regions. Stories published under the Staff Report byline reflect the collective experience and editorial judgment of the Shore News Network newsroom.

Readers who have corrections, additional information, or news tips related to a Staff Report article are encouraged to contact the newsroom at news@shorenewsnetwork.com. Shore News Network welcomes factual corrections and updates as part of its commitment to accurate, transparent journalism.