A Tijuana woman, identified as Kimberly Kay Brandt, has been convicted for the theft of her deceased mother's Social Security benefits. Brandt, a U.S. citizen, has been sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison after fraudulently claiming over $268,000 in retirement benefits over a 13-year span, as per the U.S. Department of Justice.
Brandt's actions started with her mother H.B.'s passing in June 2010 in Mexico. The Social Security Administration (SSA) had been depositing benefits into H.B.'s account since she moved to Tijuana due to health concerns. Upon her mother's death, Brandt failed to inform the SSA and continued to draw funds using H.B.'s bank card.
In her guilty plea for Social Security fraud, Brandt admitted to posing as her mother during a call to H.B.'s bank, thereby ensuring the benefits continued. She requested an address update and a new bank card in H.B.'s name. Subsequently, she enlisted a third party to bring the card to Mexico. When the SSA ceased payments upon learning of H.B.'s death, Brandt impersonated her mother again. But when she inquired about the stoppage, she was arrested while crossing into the U.S. on June 27.
In addition to Brandt's jail time, she will also be resonsible for repayment of the fraudulently obtained $268,143 to the SSA.
