South Carolina woman sentenced after netting nearly $260,000 in Social Security fraud

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WBTW) -- A 61-year-old South Carolina woman has been sentenced to more than a year in prison for cashing nearly $260,000 in Social Security payments she received after the death of her grandmother.

Crystal Deveaux of Eastover was sentenced to 15 months in prison and three years of court-ordered supervision. She pleaded guilty to the theft of government funds totaling more than $258,000 and was ordered to pay restitution to the government.

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, evidence showed that between June 2001 and December 2020 Deveaux unlawfully obtained Social Security Retirement Insurance Benefits on behalf of her deceased grandmother, which she then used for her own benefit.

"While acting as a representative for her deceased grandmother, Deveaux failed to notify the Social Security Administration of the death and continued to cash and deposit the RIB checks she received on her grandmother's behalf," the U.S. Attorney's Office said.

As a result, prosecutors said the Social Security Administration paid out nearly $23,000 in Medicare premiums on behalf of her deceased grandmother.

Prosecutors also said Deveaux was wrongly paid nearly $23,000 in Supplemental Security Income benefits as she had unreported income. She also received nearly $24,000 from the Social Security Administration after failing to report her husband's Veteran's Administration benefits.