Lancaster Woman Sentenced To Prison For Theft Of Social Security Benefit Money

Carmen Perez, 40, of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 15 months in prison for theft of government funds, announced Acting United States Attorney Louis D. Lappen. The Honorable Edward G. Smith, United States District Judge, also ordered Perez to serve three years of supervised release after her prison term and pay full restitution of $78,768.06 to the Social Security Administration.

As the defendant admitted during her guilty plea hearing on February 28, 2017, during the commission of the charged offense, she was employed as a case manager for an organization that managed Social Security benefits for individuals who could not manage their own funds. a case manager for that organization, from March 2012 until July 2016, Perez stole Social Security benefits intended for the payment of financial obligations of 39 of her clients. Perez admitted further when she pleaded guilty, during the course of the scheme, she stole a total of approximately $78,768.06 in Social Security benefit money and used it for her own purposes.

The case was investigated by the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Amanda R. Reinitz.