Gansevoort Woman Pleads Guilty to Charges of Supplemental Security Income Fraud

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Santa Sanabria, a/k/a Santa Cordero, age 75, of Gansevoort, New York, pled guilty today to using two different names and Social Security numbers to collect Social Security benefits under both identities.

The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Antoinette T. Bacon and John F. Grasso, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration (SSA), Office of the Inspector General, New York Field Office.

As part of her guilty plea, Sanabria admitted that she had applied for and received two Social Security numbers, one in her maiden name, Sanabria, and another in her married name, Cordero.  Sanabria admitted that from July 2012 through September 2017, while collecting Social Security benefits under the name Santa Cordero and the Social Security number associated with that name, she also used the Social Security number issued under her maiden name to apply for and collect Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits to which she was not entitled.  SSI is a needs-based program, available to elderly, blind, and disabled individuals, that provides money to pay for living expenses.

As a result of her conviction, Sanabria faces up to 5 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years.  Sentencing is scheduled for September 9, 2021 before Senior United States District Judge Lawrence E. Kahn.  A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors. Sanabria has agreed to pay full restitution in the amount of $30,510.90.

This case was investigated by the SSA Office of the Inspector General and is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian S. LaRochelle.