FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
AUSA VICKIE E. LEDUC at 410-209-4885
MAY 16, 2006
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
OLNEY WOMAN PLEADS GUILTY TO CONCEALING INFORMATION FROM THE OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT TO RECEIVE DEATH BENEFITS
GREENBELT, Maryland - Dana Price, age 48, of Olney, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to concealing information from the Office of Personnel Management, announced United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein.
According to the statement of facts provided to the court as part of the plea agreement, Joan Price lawfully received survivor benefits based on her husband’s federal civilian service until her death on September 3, 1983. After her mother’s death, Dana Price was not eligible for any benefits. Between 1983 and 2005, however, Dana Price concealed from OPM that her mother was deceased and annuity payments continued to be made to Joan Price’s bank account.
On January 9, 1989, Dana Price wrote a letter to OPM using her mother’s address and social security number, and signed it as Joan Price. She requested that OPM “send my checks to my home rather than directly deposit them into my checking account.” In 1993, Dana Price submitted a form to OPM using her mother’s name and address. In 1995, she again certified Joan’ Price’s name and address in a letter to OPM. The OPM form Dana Price signed contained a specific section that was to be filled out if the annuitant had died.
After Joan Price’s death, OPM paid out a gross amount of benefits in her name of $813,903. The net amount of payments improperly used by Dana Price was $728,175.32.
Price faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a fine of $250,000. U.S. District Judge Alexander Williams, Jr. has scheduled sentencing for August 25, 2006 at 9:30 am.
This page last modified—May 16, 2006