BANGOR, Maine — A Franklin woman who spent Social Security funds sent by mistake to her deceased mother’s checking account has admitted to stealing from the government, according to court documents filed in U.S. District Court.
Barbara Phillips, 66, was charged with theft of public money after an investigation by the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General. She went before U.S. District Judge John Woodcock Jr. on Wednesday and entered a guilty plea to the federal charge.
Phillips is the daughter of Phyllis Konopka, who died in 2010. Between Aug. 2, 2011, and Dec. 12, 2013, Phillips reportedly took $31,496 in Social Security benefits sent to her deceased mother’s account, according to court documents filed this week by Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Ruge.
“After Phyllis’ May 27, 2010, death, the [Social Security Administration] continued to make monthly payments of $980 into her checking account,” the prosecution’s version of the offense filed by Ruge states.
Phillips had access to her mother’s checking account and started taking out money in 2011, the prosecutor said.
“As her oral and written confessions establish, the defendant did, in fact, wrongfully take SSA funds and knew that taking the money was wrong when she did it,” Ruge said.
Brewer attorney Don Brown is representing Phillips. She faces a penalty of up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000, if convicted of the theft of public money charge.
Woodcock released Phillips until her sentencing on $5,000 cash bond she agreed to have paid to the court by May 26, the federal documents state.