West Virginia Woman Pleads Guilty to Stealing Social Security Benefits

From the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of West Virginia:

BLUEFIELD, W.Va. –  Kimberly Hall entered a guilty plea yesterday to the felony offense of fraudulently obtaining Social Security income benefits, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart.  Hall, 43, of  Bluefield, Mercer County, West Virginia faces up to 5 years of in prison when she is sentenced on August 7, 2019.  She will also be required to pay restitution back to the United States Treasury.  United States Attorney Mike Stuart praised the work of the Social Security Administration (SSA) and SSA-Office of Inspector General (OIG). 

“Theft of Social Security benefits is widespread in West Virginia,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart.  “We are working closely with SSA-OIG to prosecute those who steal income benefits to which they aren’t entitled.”

Hall applied for Title II Social Security benefits in 2007 and to be a representative payee for a minor child.  These Social Security benefits are based on income and living arrangements, and create a duty to report a change in income or living arrangements.  From 2011 to 2016, the minor child no longer resided in Hall’s home.  This was a change in SSI benefits that must be reported because this change in living arrangement would have lowered the amount of money she was receiving every month.  Hall further indicated that the minor child resided at her home when the child no longer resided there. From August 2011 through September 2016, Hall received $50,012 in Social Security benefits in excess of the amount she was due. On November 9, 2016, Hall gave a false statement to a SSA claims representative concerning the minor child.  SSA-OIG investigators investigated the claims and Hall admitted to them that the she had given false statements and that the minor child no longer resided at her home.  She also knew that she was receiving money that she was not entitled to receive.

Assistant United States Attorney Erik S. Goes handled the prosecution.  Senior United States District Judge David F. Faber presided over the hearing.

BLUEFIELD, W.Va. –  Kimberly Hall entered a guilty plea yesterday to the felony offense of fraudulently obtaining Social Security income benefits, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart.  Hall, 43, of  Bluefield, Mercer County, West Virginia faces up to 5 years of in prison when she is sentenced on August 7, 2019.  She will also be required to pay restitution back to the United States Treasury.  United States Attorney Mike Stuart praised the work of the Social Security Administration (SSA) and SSA-Office of Inspector General (OIG). 

“Theft of Social Security benefits is widespread in West Virginia,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart.  “We are working closely with SSA-OIG to prosecute those who steal income benefits to which they aren’t entitled.”

Hall applied for Title II Social Security benefits in 2007 and to be a representative payee for a minor child.  These Social Security benefits are based on income and living arrangements, and create a duty to report a change in income or living arrangements.  From 2011 to 2016, the minor child no longer resided in Hall’s home.  This was a change in SSI benefits that must be reported because this change in living arrangement would have lowered the amount of money she was receiving every month.  Hall further indicated that the minor child resided at her home when the child no longer resided there. From August 2011 through September 2016, Hall received $50,012 in Social Security benefits in excess of the amount she was due. On November 9, 2016, Hall gave a false statement to a SSA claims representative concerning the minor child.  SSA-OIG investigators investigated the claims and Hall admitted to them that the she had given false statements and that the minor child no longer resided at her home.  She also knew that she was receiving money that she was not entitled to receive.

Assistant United States Attorney Erik S. Goes handled the prosecution.  Senior United States District Judge David F. Faber presided over the hearing.