Employee Fraud: Former SSA Employee Convicted of Accepting Bribes

Based on a referral from SSA’s Center for Security and Integrity, New York Region, our Iselin, New Jersey office investigated an SSA contact representative for accepting bribes in connection with her official duties.

The SSA employee used the SSA mainframe computer database to access records of another SSA employee, as well as the accounts of her friends and family.

Our agents received information from the United States Postal Inspection Service regarding an identity theft suspect in possession of three SSA records printouts. The investigation revealed that the employee had shared the three records with a third party. In addition, the employee verified personal identification information for the third party in exchange for cash, groceries, medical supplies, and a car. The third party used the SSA information to open bank accounts and credit cards, at various financial institutions. Charges filed against the third party include conspiracy and misuse of an SSN.

The SSA employee pled guilty to accepting bribes in connection with official duties. In October 2010, a U.S. District Court judge sentenced the SSA employee to four months’ incarceration, four months’ home confinement, and two years’ supervised probation. Judicial proceedings continue against the third party.