A St. Louis woman has acknowledged her wrongdoing in a case involving the theft of her deceased father's Social Security benefits. Carmen Needy, 65, formally pleaded guilty to a single count of theft of government funds yesterday, admitting to the unlawful acquisition of $55,000 that continued flowing after her father passed away in 2016.
The Social Security Administration's Office of Inspector General, which spearheaded the investigation, noted that Needy improperly used her father's debit card to access the retirement benefits, totaling $55,381, between 2016 and May of 2020. Her sentencing is set for January 30, 2025, where she faces the possibility of serving up to 10 years in prison or, a $250,000 fine, or possibly a combination of both penalties.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Diane Klocke is handling the prosecution; the case details were publicized on the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri's website. When the benefits continued to be deposited after her father's death on August 31, 2016, Needy failed to inform the Social Security Administration, leading to years of benefit accumulation which she tapped into using the debit card issued for the funds.
Under federal law, family members are required to notify the Social Security Administration immediately when a benefactor dies. The sentence handed down by the court will be informed by the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors but, ultimately, the court's discretion will decide Needy's fate.
