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Press Release
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, announced today that a felony criminal information charging Michaelina Chivers, nee Vaughan, age 69, of Peckville, Pennsylvania, was filed in the United States District Court in Scranton, Pennsylvania.
According to United States Attorney Peter Smith, Chivers was charged in connection with theft of social security benefits are the result of her failure to inform the Social Security Administration of the death of her mother, and continuing to receive and use her deceased mother’s SSA benefits for her own personal use and gain. As part of the plea agreement filed with the Court, Chivers has agreed to pay restitution to the SSA in the amount of $218,869.00, representing the loss to the SSA as a result of her fraud.
If convicted, Chivers could be imprisoned for a total statutory maximum sentence of up to 10 years and a fine in the amount of $250,000.
The joint investigation was conducted by the United States Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Todd K. Hinkley.