Rosedale Residents Admit To Fraudulently Obtaining $186,677 In Social Security Disability Benefits

ABINGDON, VIRGINIA – Brenda Gale Vance and Billy Leonard Vance of Rosedale, Virginia, pled guilty yesterday in United States District Court to conspiring to defraud the United States. The Vances admitted to conspiring to defraud the United States by concealing the fact that Billy Vance was working and earning income while receiving Social Security disability benefits.

At the guilty plea hearing, the Court was informed that from 2003 through 2012, Brenda Vance and Billy Vance were employed by the same company. However, to keep Billy Vance’s employment hidden from the Social Security Administration, the Vances’ employer kept Billy Vance’s employment off of the books and reported all of Billy Vance’s income to the government as having been earned by Brenda Vance. Accordingly, the Social Security Administration was not aware that Billy Vance was working and, as a result, continued to pay him Social Security disability benefits.

“Social Security provides needed support to Americans who are unable to work due to disability,” United States Attorney Timothy J. Heaphy said today. “Individuals who lie about disability and circumvent the Social Security system undercut the system’s efficiency. We will continue to seek out and prosecute individuals who falsely obtain Social Security benefits and ensure the system continues to serve the truly disabled.”

At sentencing, each defendant faces a sentence of up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.00. As part of the plea agreement, at the guilty plea hearing the Vances made full restitution to the Social Security Administration in the amount of $186,677.00. A sentencing hearing has been scheduled for December 11, 2013.

The investigation of the case was conducted by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation and the Social Security Administration – Office of Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorney Randy Ramseyer is prosecuting the case for the United States.