Texas Couple and Relative Indicted with Social Security, Medicaid Fraud

From the U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of Texas:

 

Federal and state authorities today arrested 37-year-old Selica Lacole Dawson (aka “Selica Granderson”), her husband, 44-year-old Roosevelt Granderson, II, and her mother, 52-year-old Brenda Dawson of Waxahachie, TX, on federal charges in connection with a scheme to collect over $258,000 federal benefits they were not entitled to, announced United States Attorney Richard L. Durbin, Jr.; and Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General (SSA-OIG) Special Agent in Charge Robert Feldt, Dallas Division.

 

A nine-count federal grand jury indictment, returned yesterday, charges Selica Granderson with three counts of theft of government funds; two counts of supplemental security income benefits fraud; and, one count of bankruptcy fraud. The indictment charges Roosevelt Granderson with one count of making a false statement to federal investigators and one count of misprision of felony. The indictment charges Brenda Dawson with one count of supplemental security income benefits fraud.

 

The indictment alleges that Selica Granderson defrauded the Social Security Administration’s Supplemental Security Income (SSA-SSI) program of more than $183,000 from April 2005 to May 2017; the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) of more than $26,000 from December 2010 through October 2016; and, the Medicaid Insurance Program of an estimated $49,000 from December 2010 to August 2016.

 

According to court documents, the fraud loss to these three programs stems back to 2008, when Selica and Roosevelt Granderson who were married, failed to report their marriage, living arrangements, and income/resources. Reporting the same would have disqualified Selica Granderson from receiving any benefits as a representative payee for their two children. Selica Granderson perpetuated the fraud through the years by failing to report these disqualifying events to the SSA when making Redetermination Statements related to her children’s continued eligibility for SSI benefits. The indictment alleges that in November 2015, Selica Granderson fraudulently filed a Chapter 7 Bankruptcy petition in the Western District of Texas. In her petition, she failed to disclose the true nature of their assets by requesting relief as “Selica Dawson” and “Roosevelt Dawson,” not Selica and Roosevelt Granderson.

 

The indictment also alleges that Roosevelt Granderson, who was interviewed by SSA-OIG regarding his wife’s SSI fraud as it related to her continued eligibility, denied living with his wife and children making other materially false statements, knowing the same to be false. Roosevelt Granderson’ s charges stem from materially false statements that were key to SSA’s determination of Selica Granderson’s eligibility for SSI, to which she was not entitled.

 

The indictment also alleges that on December 8, 2016, Brenda Dawson filed a fraudulent application for SSA-SSI benefit payments on behalf of Selica’s children.

 

Theft of Government funds calls for up to ten years in federal prison upon conviction. Bankruptcy fraud and supplemental security income benefits fraud both call for up to five years in federal prison upon conviction. Misprision of felony calls for up to three years in federal prison upon conviction.

 

Authorities arrested Selica and Roosevelt Granderson this morning without incident at the Austin Bergstrom International Airport. Dawson was arrested this afternoon in Waxahachie.

 

U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark Lane released Selica and Roosevelt Granderson on $10,000 unsecured bonds following their initial appearances this afternoon in Austin. Dawson is expected to make her initial appearance tomorrow in federal court in Dallas. No further hearings have been scheduled at this time.

 

Agents with the SSA-OIG together with the Texas Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General investigated this case. The U.S. Marshals Service and the Austin Police Department assisted with today’s arrests. Special Assistant United States Attorney Yvonne Gonzalez is prosecuting this case on behalf of the Government.

 <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"> From the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Western District of Texas: </p>

 

Federal and state authorities today arrested 37-year-old Selica Lacole Dawson (aka “Selica Granderson”), her husband, 44-year-old Roosevelt Granderson, II, and her mother, 52-year-old Brenda Dawson of Waxahachie, TX, on federal charges in connection with a scheme to collect over $258,000 federal benefits they were not entitled to, announced United States Attorney Richard L. Durbin, Jr.; and Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General (SSA-OIG) Special Agent in Charge Robert Feldt, Dallas Division.

 

A nine-count federal grand jury indictment, returned yesterday, charges Selica Granderson with three counts of theft of government funds; two counts of supplemental security income benefits fraud; and, one count of bankruptcy fraud. The indictment charges Roosevelt Granderson with one count of making a false statement to federal investigators and one count of misprision of felony. The indictment charges Brenda Dawson with one count of supplemental security income benefits fraud.

 

The indictment alleges that Selica Granderson defrauded the Social Security Administration’s Supplemental Security Income (SSA-SSI) program of more than $183,000 from April 2005 to May 2017; the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) of more than $26,000 from December 2010 through October 2016; and, the Medicaid Insurance Program of an estimated $49,000 from December 2010 to August 2016.

 

According to court documents, the fraud loss to these three programs stems back to 2008, when Selica and Roosevelt Granderson who were married, failed to report their marriage, living arrangements, and income/resources. Reporting the same would have disqualified Selica Granderson from receiving any benefits as a representative payee for their two children. Selica Granderson perpetuated the fraud through the years by failing to report these disqualifying events to the SSA when making Redetermination Statements related to her children’s continued eligibility for SSI benefits. The indictment alleges that in November 2015, Selica Granderson fraudulently filed a Chapter 7 Bankruptcy petition in the Western District of Texas. In her petition, she failed to disclose the true nature of their assets by requesting relief as “Selica Dawson” and “Roosevelt Dawson,” not Selica and Roosevelt Granderson.

 

The indictment also alleges that Roosevelt Granderson, who was interviewed by SSA-OIG regarding his wife’s SSI fraud as it related to her continued eligibility, denied living with his wife and children making other materially false statements, knowing the same to be false. Roosevelt Granderson’ s charges stem from materially false statements that were key to SSA’s determination of Selica Granderson’s eligibility for SSI, to which she was not entitled.

 

The indictment also alleges that on December 8, 2016, Brenda Dawson filed a fraudulent application for SSA-SSI benefit payments on behalf of Selica’s children.

 

Theft of Government funds calls for up to ten years in federal prison upon conviction. Bankruptcy fraud and supplemental security income benefits fraud both call for up to five years in federal prison upon conviction. Misprision of felony calls for up to three years in federal prison upon conviction.

 

Authorities arrested Selica and Roosevelt Granderson this morning without incident at the Austin Bergstrom International Airport. Dawson was arrested this afternoon in Waxahachie.

 

U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark Lane released Selica and Roosevelt Granderson on $10,000 unsecured bonds following their initial appearances this afternoon in Austin. Dawson is expected to make her initial appearance tomorrow in federal court in Dallas. No further hearings have been scheduled at this time.

 

Agents with the SSA-OIG together with the Texas Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General investigated this case. The U.S. Marshals Service and the Austin Police Department assisted with today’s arrests. Special Assistant United States Attorney Yvonne Gonzalez is prosecuting this case on behalf of the Government.