California Woman Charged with $190,000 Social Security Fraud
From the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of California:
FRESNO, Calif. — Linda Expose, 54, of Salida, appears in court today for an indictment charging her with mail fraud and fraud on the Social Security Administration, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, Expose began receiving Social Security benefits in 1980 and concealed from the Social Security Administration her 19-year employment at a children’s hospital during which she received income under a family member’s Social Security number (SSN). To facilitate her continued receipt of Social Security benefits, Expose repeatedly misrepresented to the Social Security Administration that she had never used another SSN other than her assigned number, and filed multiple applications for Social Security benefits under both numbers to maximize her receipt of such benefits. Expose allegedly defrauded the Social Security Administration of approximately $190,000 in benefits she was ineligible to receive and would not have received had she truthfully reported to the Social Security Administration the income she earned from the hospital.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Social Security Administration’s Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher D. Baker is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Expose faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison for the mail fraud charge and five years in prison for each of the two counts of Social Security benefits fraud, and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
FRESNO, Calif. — Linda Expose, 54, of Salida, appears in court today for an indictment charging her with mail fraud and fraud on the Social Security Administration, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, Expose began receiving Social Security benefits in 1980 and concealed from the Social Security Administration her 19-year employment at a children’s hospital during which she received income under a family member’s Social Security number (SSN). To facilitate her continued receipt of Social Security benefits, Expose repeatedly misrepresented to the Social Security Administration that she had never used another SSN other than her assigned number, and filed multiple applications for Social Security benefits under both numbers to maximize her receipt of such benefits. Expose allegedly defrauded the Social Security Administration of approximately $190,000 in benefits she was ineligible to receive and would not have received had she truthfully reported to the Social Security Administration the income she earned from the hospital.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Social Security Administration’s Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher D. Baker is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Expose faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison for the mail fraud charge and five years in prison for each of the two counts of Social Security benefits fraud, and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.