New Orleans Man Pleads Guilty to Theft of More than $40,000 in Social Security Funds

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

NEW ORLEANS, LA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that JOHN EDWARD JONES, age 42, of New Orleans, Louisiana, pled guilty to Theft of Government Funds, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 641.

According to court documents, beginning around July 2015 and continuing through March 2020, JONES collected Social Security Administration benefits paid to a deceased individual. In total, JONES fraudulently received approximately $40,361.00 in Social Security Administration benefits to which he was not entitled.

JONES faces a maximum penalty of ten (10) years imprisonment, followed by up to three (3) years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000.00, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. U.S. District Judge Wendy B. Vitter set sentencing for September 8, 2022.

U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General and the Louisiana State Police. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Maria Carboni.