Fayetteville, Illinois Woman Sentenced For Theft Of Social Security Survivor Benefits

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Stephen R. Wigginton, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced that Amber Dawn Adams, 34, of Fayetteville, Illinois, was sentenced today on an indictment charging that she committed theft of government funds. The district court sentenced Adams to three years of probation. Adams was also ordered to pay $9,059.00 in restitution back to the Social Security Administration and a $100 special assessment.

During her plea of guilty on July 1, 2014, Adams admitted that between March 2008 and August 2012, she was falsely claiming and receiving more than $9,000 in Title II – Survivor Benefits that were intended for the benefit of her child, when, in fact, the child did not live with her and Adams did not support the child between March 2008 and August 2012.

This is one of several fraud prosecutions on behalf of the Social Security Administration. On July 1, 2014, United States Attorney Stephen R. Wigginton said: “These cases are yet additional examples of the wide-spread fraud that plagues both state and federal programs that are in place to help those in our society who need that help the most. My office will continue to stand beside both federal and state agencies in taking every step necessary to find and prosecute those who steal from, and continue to defraud these vital programs. This is a theft from not only the needy, but from all of us.”

The investigation was conducted by the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ranley R. Killian.