Philadelphia Woman Charged with Supplemental Security Income Fraud

From the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Pennsylvania:

PHILADELPHIA - Nakia Calicat, 38, of Philadelphia, PA, was charged by indictment, unsealed today, with concealing the death of her child in order to continue receiving Supplemental Security Income payments for her deceased daughter, announced United States Attorney Zane David Memeger. Calicat is charged with ten counts of wire fraud, one count of theft of government money, two counts of false statements, and one count of Social Security representative payee fraud.

Calicat gave birth to a child in December 2006 and filed for SSI benefits in March 2007. The child died in July of 2010 but the Social Security Administration (“SSA”) did not learn of the death until August of 2013. SSA sent notice to Calicat that the benefits for her child would be terminated. In October 2013, the indictment alleges that Calicat told an SSA employee that her child was still alive. In August 2014, Calicat spoke to a Special Agent with the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General and, again, allegedly lied about her daughter’s death. According to the indictment, between July 2010 and August 2014, Calicat illegally received Social Security benefits on behalf of her decease child defrauding the government of approximately $26,224.

If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum possible statutory sentence of up to 225 years in prison, a three‑year period of supervised release, a $3.5 million fine, restitution of $26,224 and a $1,400 special assessment.

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

PHILADELPHIA - Nakia Calicat, 38, of Philadelphia, PA, was charged by indictment, unsealed today, with concealing the death of her child in order to continue receiving Supplemental Security Income payments for her deceased daughter, announced United States Attorney Zane David Memeger. Calicat is charged with ten counts of wire fraud, one count of theft of government money, two counts of false statements, and one count of Social Security representative payee fraud.

Calicat gave birth to a child in December 2006 and filed for SSI benefits in March 2007. The child died in July of 2010 but the Social Security Administration (“SSA”) did not learn of the death until August of 2013. SSA sent notice to Calicat that the benefits for her child would be terminated. In October 2013, the indictment alleges that Calicat told an SSA employee that her child was still alive. In August 2014, Calicat spoke to a Special Agent with the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General and, again, allegedly lied about her daughter’s death. According to the indictment, between July 2010 and August 2014, Calicat illegally received Social Security benefits on behalf of her decease child defrauding the government of approximately $26,224.

If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum possible statutory sentence of up to 225 years in prison, a three‑year period of supervised release, a $3.5 million fine, restitution of $26,224 and a $1,400 special assessment.

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