Bridgeport Man Pleads Guilty In Social Security Scam: U.S. Attorney

BRIDGEPORT, CT — A 31-year-old Bridgeport man waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty this month to an offense stemming from his role in a scheme to defraud the Social Security Administration, announced U.S. Attorney Vanessa Roberts Avery. The announcement was also made by Sharon MacDermott, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General, Boston – New York Field Division.

According to court documents and statements, the scam began with a group of unidentified fraudsters, who in 2021 engaged in a scheme to defraud the Social Security Administration using stolen identities. The fraudsters would contact the SSA posing as legitimate Social Security recipients, often presenting the SSA with confidential personal information, like Social Security numbers and dates of birth, to validate their purported identities. They would then instruct the SSA to change the legitimate SSA recipients’ existing bank account deposit information so that monthly SSA payments would be deposited into bank accounts controlled by scheme participants.

In late summer of 2021, Trovoy Dixon, the defendant, was contacted by phone by a scheme participant using a Jamaican based telephone number and was asked if he wished to make money through moving money, according to prosecutors. Dixon agreed, and was instructed to open bank accounts that he would control. After monies generated from the scheme were deposited into Dixon’s online bank accounts, he would withdraw cash from the accounts and use commercial money transfer services to wire a portion of the cash to designated bank accounts in either Jamaica or Mexico. Dixon admitted that he consciously avoided learning the monies were illegally obtained, although in time he knew them to be, and ultimately kept close to half of the monies for his personal use.

Between August 2021 and July 2023, more than $300,000 was deposited into bank accounts Dixon controlled. When accounts were closed due to suspicious fraudulent withdrawal activity, Dixon opened additional accounts to continue his illegal activity.

Dixon pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering, which carries a potential maximum sentence of 20 years prison. He is currently free on $50,000 bond.

A judge is scheduled to sentence Dixon on June 30; in addition to the sentencing, Dixon has also agreed to pay $161,000 in restitution.

This investigation is being conducted by the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher W. Schmeisser.