Woman used dead grandmother’s ATM card to withdraw Social Security for years, feds say

A Louisiana woman used her dead grandmother’s ATM card to steal more than $86,000 in Social Security funds over about 10 years, according to federal prosecutors.

Danielle Coleman, 39, of New Orleans, pleaded guilty to theft of government funds on Jan. 19, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana.

Coleman’s attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment from McClatchy News.

Coleman failed to notify the Social Security Administration of her grandmother’s death in September 2009 and withdrew Social Security benefits from her grandmother’s account between September 2009 and May 2020, according to court documents.

Over that time period, Coleman took around $86,280 in Social Security funds and $1,200 in COVID-19 stimulus funds from her grandmother’s bank account, according to a factual basis document. She used the money for “personal expenses,” according to the release.

Coleman faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison with three years of supervised release, according to the release. She also faces a fine of up to $250,000 and a $100 “special assessment fee.”

This story was originally published January 23, 2023 at 8:31 AM with the headline "Woman used dead grandmother’s ATM card to withdraw Social Security for years, feds say."