Fifteenth person charged with theft in ongoing Social Security benefits fraud investigation

CINCINNATI – Napoleon Crawford, 52, of Mason, was arrested and appeared in U.S. District Court here on July 30 to face charges in a two-count indictment alleging that Crawford has stolen more than $80,000 in Social Security and Department of Defense benefits earned by his father, a retired Navy officer who died in 2016.

Crawford is the fifteenth person charged this year in the 48-county Southern District of Ohio based on results of a large audit conducted by the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, which found that dozens of Ohioans are illegally collecting a deceased relative’s federal retirement, Social Security or Veterans’ Administration benefits.

Ten of the fifteen people have pleaded guilty to charges of theft of public funds, a felony that is punishable by up to ten years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The fifteen charged allegedly received more than $898,000 in benefits.

One person has been sentenced so far. Debra Edwards, 57, of South Lebanon was sentenced July 28. Edwards was ordered to repay $49,575 in benefits she received illegally and serve three years’ probation with the first 90 days to be served in home detention.

“We will prosecute people who stick their hands in the pockets of taxpayers to steal benefits earned by their relatives,” said David M. DeVillers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio. “The investigation is continuing and others could be charged.”

In addition to Crawford and Edwards, the following individuals have been charged:

 

Name                                     Age                   City                   Amount               Status

Lori Barker	51	Hamilton	$53,406	Awaiting sentencing
Kinnard Asher	60	South Lebanon	$33,308	Awaiting sentencing
Billy Gray	44	Mt. Orab	$43,998	Awaiting sentencing
Laverne Harrison	60	Cincinnati	$40,079	Awaiting sentencing
Linda Daniels	62	Mt. Orab	$62,336	Awaiting sentencing
Wayne Coulter II	33	Cincinnati	$28,742	Charges pending
Ronald Lewis	43	Hamilton	$55,508	Awaiting sentencing
Douglas Dible	68	Richwood	$153,962	Awaiting sentencing
Gloria Funk	65	New Lexington	$55,920	Awaiting sentencing
Victor Warren	52	Marietta	$36,090	Charges pending
Donald Hawkins Jr.	47	Columbus	$27,120	Charges pending
Christina Saldana	41	West Carrollton	$103,042	Charges pending
Nathaniel Carruth	64	Dayton	$75,077	Awaiting sentencing

 

The cases are part of the national Social Security Administration (SSA) Fraud Prosecution Project, a collaboration with SSA’s Office of the General Counsel, Office of the Inspector General and the Department of Justice.

For more information on SSA’s Fraud Prosecution Project and the agency’s other anti-fraud efforts, please visit https://www.ssa.gov/antifraudfacts/.

David M. DeVillers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, along with the Social Security Administration’s Office of the Inspector General, Office of Audit; the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General; The Veterans’ Administration Office of Inspector General; the United States Office of Personnel Management Office of Inspector General and the United States Secret Service announced the results of the ongoing initiative. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Landry is representing the United States in this initiative.

Statements contained in indictments or bills of information are allegations only. Defendants should be presumed innocent unless convicted in a court of law.

CINCINNATI – Napoleon Crawford, 52, of Mason, was arrested and appeared in U.S. District Court here on July 30 to face charges in a two-count indictment alleging that Crawford has stolen more than $80,000 in Social Security and Department of Defense benefits earned by his father, a retired Navy officer who died in 2016.

Crawford is the fifteenth person charged this year in the 48-county Southern District of Ohio based on results of a large audit conducted by the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, which found that dozens of Ohioans are illegally collecting a deceased relative’s federal retirement, Social Security or Veterans’ Administration benefits.

Ten of the fifteen people have pleaded guilty to charges of theft of public funds, a felony that is punishable by up to ten years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The fifteen charged allegedly received more than $898,000 in benefits.

One person has been sentenced so far. Debra Edwards, 57, of South Lebanon was sentenced July 28. Edwards was ordered to repay $49,575 in benefits she received illegally and serve three years’ probation with the first 90 days to be served in home detention.

“We will prosecute people who stick their hands in the pockets of taxpayers to steal benefits earned by their relatives,” said David M. DeVillers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio. “The investigation is continuing and others could be charged.”

In addition to Crawford and Edwards, the following individuals have been charged:

 

Name                                     Age                   City                   Amount               Status

Lori Barker	51	Hamilton	$53,406	Awaiting sentencing
Kinnard Asher	60	South Lebanon	$33,308	Awaiting sentencing
Billy Gray	44	Mt. Orab	$43,998	Awaiting sentencing
Laverne Harrison	60	Cincinnati	$40,079	Awaiting sentencing
Linda Daniels	62	Mt. Orab	$62,336	Awaiting sentencing
Wayne Coulter II	33	Cincinnati	$28,742	Charges pending
Ronald Lewis	43	Hamilton	$55,508	Awaiting sentencing
Douglas Dible	68	Richwood	$153,962	Awaiting sentencing
Gloria Funk	65	New Lexington	$55,920	Awaiting sentencing
Victor Warren	52	Marietta	$36,090	Charges pending
Donald Hawkins Jr.	47	Columbus	$27,120	Charges pending
Christina Saldana	41	West Carrollton	$103,042	Charges pending
Nathaniel Carruth	64	Dayton	$75,077	Awaiting sentencing

 

The cases are part of the national Social Security Administration (SSA) Fraud Prosecution Project, a collaboration with SSA’s Office of the General Counsel, Office of the Inspector General and the Department of Justice.

For more information on SSA’s Fraud Prosecution Project and the agency’s other anti-fraud efforts, please visit https://www.ssa.gov/antifraudfacts/.

David M. DeVillers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, along with the Social Security Administration’s Office of the Inspector General, Office of Audit; the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General; The Veterans’ Administration Office of Inspector General; the United States Office of Personnel Management Office of Inspector General and the United States Secret Service announced the results of the ongoing initiative. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Landry is representing the United States in this initiative.

Statements contained in indictments or bills of information are allegations only. Defendants should be presumed innocent unless convicted in a court of law.