Conroe Family Handed Federal Prison Sentences

HOUSTON – The final member of the Irsan family charged in relation to a conspiracy to defraud the United States has been ordered to federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson. Ali Irsan, 58, a former citizen of Jordan and naturalized U.S. citizen residing in Conroe, pleaded guilty April 3, 2015.

Today, U.S. District Judge Lynn H. Hughes ordered Irsan to serve a total of 45 months in federal prison for the conspiracy. He was further ordered to pay $290,651 in restitution. His wife, Shmou Ali Al Rawabdeh, 38, and daughter, Nadia Irsan, 31, were convicted of providing false statements in association with the fraud scheme and were each previously sentenced to 24 months imprisonment.

Ali Irsan and members of his family received Supplemental Security Income (SSI), which is needs-based benefit provided by the Social Security Administration (SSA). SSI pays monthly benefits to the disabled, who do not have resources (no more than $2,000 if single and $3,000 if married). An individual with resources, excluding a home and a car, is ineligible for SSI.

On or about September 2002, Ali Irsan applied for SSI benefits claiming he was disabled and had been unable to work since 1990. His wife also claimed a disability and began receiving benefits in 2005. However, the Irsan family failed to report that Ali Irsan maintained a bank account in Jordan with a balance that fluctuated from approximately $4,000 to $16,000. Also, in January 2010, Ali Irsan received a settlement check for $75,000, which he failed to report to the SSA.

Irsan’s wife and daughter falsified documents in order to aid the fraud scheme involving the disability benefits. Nadia Irsan, who was unemployed, had a checking account with deposits of more than $250,000.

All are currently in custody and are also facing unrelated charges in Harris County. They are expected to be transferred to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility upon resolution of those alleged offenses.

The fraud investigation was a combined effort by SSA - Office of Inspector General, FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office with assistance from several other state and federal agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jim McAlister and Mark McIntyre prosecuted the federal case.