Muna Abdi, aged 36, a Somali national residing in Millcreek, Utah, has been handed down a 12-month probation period and an order to repay $25,638.61. This decision, delivered by U.S. District Court Judge David Barlow, comes in the wake of Abdi's guilty plea related to the conversion of government funds, an incident first reported on Tuesday, January 6, by the U.S. Department of Justice.
The case surfaced after it was discovered that, from November 1, 2021, to June 30, 2024, Abdi had impersonated her deceased mother to illegally receive Social Security benefits totaling over $25,000. She had access to the benefits despite her mother's passing in 2021, and systematically withdrew funds through cash-back transactions and ATM withdrawals while her mother was falsely represented as alive.
U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah underscored the impact of these actions, stating, "For years, Ms. Abdi stole funds intended for qualifying disabled and retired individuals." Holyoak emphasized the government's stance on protecting these programs from fraud, as per the U.S. Department of Justice. Similarly, John McLeod, Special Agent-in-Charge of the SSA Office of the Inspector General, Cooperative Disability Investigations – Western Field Division, expressed satisfaction with the judicial outcome, noting, "Ms. Abdi wrongfully converted her late mother's Supplemental Security Income payments from the Social Security Administration (SSA) for personal gain," as mentioned by the U.S. Department of Justice.
