Williamsville Woman Sentenced For Stealing Social Security Retirement Benefits

CONTACT:      Barbara Burns
PHONE:         (716) 843-5817
FAX:            (716) 551-3051

BUFFALO, N.Y.- Acting U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Diane Cleversley, 68, of Williamsville, NY, who was convicted of theft of social security benefits, was sentenced to two years’ probation, to include one year home detention, by U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Lamarque, who handled the case, stated that the defendant failed to notify the Social Security Administration of her mother’s death in 2001.  As a result, social security checks continued to be issued and deposited into a joint savings account held by Cleversley and her mother. The defendant transferred funds from the joint savings account into her own checking account. Cleversley, a retired social worker, stole a total of $176,405 between July 2001 and February 2017. The government recovered $104,051 from the savings account and Cleversley has repaid the Social Security Administration restitution totaling $72,354.

The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Office of the Inspector General of the Social Security Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge John Grasso.