A Loganville woman admitted in federal court that she cashed more than $219,000 worth of Social Security checks intended for her mother, even though her mother died in 1993.
Mary Bridges Clark, 64, pleaded guilty to theft of government funds, U.S. Attorney Sally Quillian Yates said Thursday.
“Theft of Social Security funds is, at its core, stealing from the elderly, the disabled, and those with the greatest need,” Yates said in an emailed statement. “This defendant stole over $200,000 in Social Security benefits that were intended for her mother for nearly two decades after her mother passed away, even though she knew she was not entitled to them.”
Clark’s mother received monthly Social Security benefits, which were deposited into a joint bank she and Clark shared. After her mother’s death in April 1993, Clark continued to receive her mother’s monthly benefits into the joint account, Yates said. In total, the U.S. Treasury, acting on behalf of the Social Security Administration, deposited $219,133.00 into the joint account after her mother’s death.
Clark knew this money was intended for her mother, yet she kept the money and used it for her own personal expenses, and attempted to conceal her mother’s death from the Social Security Administration, according to Yates and other information presented in court.
Clark was charged on July 17 and pleaded guilty. Her sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 21, when she could receive up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
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