Allentown, Pennsylvania, Woman Faces Additional Charges For Stealing $644,000 In Medicare Benefits

TRENTON, N.J. – An Allentown, Pennsylvania, woman was indicted today on additional charges stemming from her scheme to defraud the government, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.

Martha Aguilar, 57, formerly of Middletown, New Jersey, was charged by indictment in August 2018 with theft of government funds, Social Security fraud, and making false statements in furtherance of Social Security fraud. Today’s superseding indictment adds three counts of healthcare fraud relating to Aguilar's scheme to also defraud Medicare and steal $644,605 in benefits she was not entitled to receive.

According to the superseding indictment:

From November 2004 to September 2016, Aguilar allegedly collected $136,879 in Social Security benefits and $644,605 in Medicare benefits that she was not entitled to receive. Aguilar indicated on forms to the Social Security Administration (SSA) that she was completely disabled and unable to work. However, while she was collecting Social Security and Medicare benefits, Aguilar concealed her employment as a paralegal.

Aguilar also fraudulently applied for and received temporary disability from the State of New Jersey totaling $13,622, and unemployment benefits from the State of New Jersey totaling $103,738, which she concealed from the SSA. In all, Aguilar failed to report to SSA $488,870 in benefits and income.

If convicted, Aguilar faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison and a total fine of $750,000.

U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the Office of the Inspector General, Social Security Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge John F. Grasso; Debbi Mayer, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Inspector General, Eastern Region; and N.J. Department of Labor & Workforce Development, Division of Fraud Prevention & Risk Management-Special Investigations Unit, with the investigation leading to todays indictment.

The government is represented by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Meriah Russell of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Trenton.

The charges and allegations in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Defense counsel: Andrea Bergman Esq., Assistant Federal Public Defender, Newark