Apollo woman pleads guilty to fraudulently collecting Social Security benefits
An Apollo woman admitted to defrauding the federal government of more than $25,000 in Social Security benefits by lying about her marital status, prosecutors said Tuesday.
Tara Jo Frain, 33, pleaded guilty to a theft charge for pocketing Supplemental Security Income benefits that she knew she wasn’t entitled to receive, U.S. Attorney Scott W. Brady said. Frain also took responsibility for making false statements to the Social Security Administration.
She failed to report that she was married in May 2012 to Danny Ray Alexander, prosecutors said.
In 2016, she lied on an official SSA form when she told the administration she still was not married.
U.S. District Judge Donetta W. Ambrose scheduled Frain’s sentencing for Aug. 5.
She faces a maximum sentence of up to 10 years in prison and a fine up to $250,000.
Her husband, Alexander, was charged with the same offenses, Brady said.
His case still is pending.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rebecca L. Silinski and Adam N. Hallowell prosecuted the case with help from the SSA’s Office of Inspector General.
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