Woman Pleads Guilty to Social Security, Food Stamp Fraud

Beverly Eaton, 57, of Seabrook, pleaded guilty on Sept. 28, 2015, in United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire to one count of Social Security Fraud and four counts of Making False Statements, according to a press statement from Acting-U.S. Attorney Donald Feith.

In February 2009, Eaton began receiving Social Security disability benefits. She also received Food Stamps and Medicaid since July 2008 and December 2008, respectively. Eligibility for each of these benefits programs is based, in part, on the applicant having limited income and resources.

At the time she applied for benefits, Eaton failed to disclose that she owned two pieces of real estate, each with an assessed value of over $20,000, far in excess of the resource limits set by each of these needs-based programs. Her ownership of these properties would have rendered her ineligible to receive any Supplemental Security Income benefits, Food Stamps, and Medicaid. Eaton concealed her ownership of these properties from the Social Security Administration and from the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services and, in fact, falsely reported that she did not own any real estate.

As a result of her concealment, Eaton received $66,755.66 in disability benefits, Food Stamps, and Medicaid benefits that she would not have received if Social Security and the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services had been aware of her real estate holdings.

Eaton is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 12, 2016. She is facing a maximum sentence of five years imprisonment. She was released on conditions pending sentencing. The case was investigated by the Social Security Administration’s Office of the Inspector General in conjunction with the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Improvement and Integrity, and prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Karen Burzycki.