A Fayette County woman was indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh this week on a charge of theft of government property for allegedly cashing more than $40,500 in Social Security survivor’s disability benefit checks she was not entitled to receive.
The one-count indictment alleges Mika Lint, 40, also known as Mika Baluch, of Perryopolis, illegally received the government benefits between September 2014 and July 2016, according to U.S. Attorney Scott Brady.
Brady said the law provides for a maximum total sentence of 10 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under federal sentencing guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
The U.S. Social Security Administration’s Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation, Brady said in a news release.
