Social Security Charges Brought Against Dead Woman’s Daughter

A woman in Alabama pleaded guilty to stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars in Social Security payments that were sent to her deceased mother, court documents show.

The three-decade theft occurred as Mobile resident Deleria Huff continued to receive payments meant for her mother, Pauline Huff, the filings say—with the Social Security Administration unaware of the elder Huff’s death.

From 1991 to 2020, the 69-year-old pocketed $337,642 in government money and a $1,200 stimulus payment intended for her deceased mother.

Huff’s crime came to light after a Medicare non-utilization audit indicated her mother may have died. Huff told an SSA representative in 2020 that her mother was still living with her but couldn’t speak because of her dementia.

Newsweek has reached out to Huff’s attorney for comment via email.

Benefits were suspended until Huff could bring her mother into the local Social Security office. She later told officials about her mother’s death, a plea agreement shows, saying she continued taking the Social Security payments in a joint bank account she had shared with her mother because she needed them to pay her bills.

Huff’s sentencing is set for July 11, and it is unclear what consequences lie in store for her. The maximum prison sentence, according to court documents, is 10 years, and Huff must repay every cent she stole.

Jeff Rose, a financial planner and founder of GoodFinancialCents.com, spoke to Newsweek about the frequency of this type of Social Security theft.

“While we don’t hear about cases like this every day, they’re out there,” Rose said. “It’s a reminder that, yes, Social Security theft is part of the bigger picture of identity theft, and it’s something to keep an eye on.”

Rose added that, as Huff’s story shows, getting caught can take a significant period of time, but it does often happen.

“Thanks to some smart auditing and investigation work, the authorities can and do catch up with folks who commit Social Security theft,” Rose said. “It might not be overnight, but this case proves that the long arm of the law can reach pretty far.”

For those who get caught, the government is not often lenient with its penalties.

“The consequences are no joke,” Rose said. “Deleria is looking at up to 10 years in prison and has to pay back every penny she took. It’s a serious reminder that messing with government funds can land you in hot water, facing both time behind bars and a massive financial headache.”

Alex Beene, a financial literacy instructor for the state of Tennessee, estimated that hundreds of millions of dollars are lost yearly because of fraud.

Those who continue to receive Social Security benefits after a family member dies should immediately inform the SSA so no further complications arise.

“Unfortunately, many who have this happen think, ‘What’s the harm?'” Beene said. “The reality is, a mix-up—no matter how minor it may feel—is illegal and will result in serious consequences when you’re caught.”