East Weymouth Woman Charged with Bank Fraud

BOSTON – An East Weymouth woman was charged today in federal court in Boston with scheming to fraudulently obtain Social Security benefits.

Debora A. Siler, 68, was charged with one count of bank fraud and will appear in U.S. District Court in Boston on Sept. 11, 2025.

According to the charging documents, Siler fraudulently obtained approximately $61,685.13 in Social Security benefits from June 2015 through September 2020.  Siler is alleged to have had access to the checkbook and debit card of a Social Security beneficiary who died in May 2015. Instead of reporting the beneficiary’s death to the Social Security Administration or the bank where the benefits were deposited, Siler allegedly accessed the improperly paid benefits by forging the deceased beneficiary’s name on several checks and regularly depleting the account funds through debit card transactions.

The charge of bank fraud provides for a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, five years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Amy Connelly, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Division made the announcement. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Nagelberg of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.

The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.