logo
Austin woman pleads guilty in Federal court to fraud that netted her $320K

Austin woman pleads guilty in Federal court to fraud that netted her $320K

Yahoo15-04-2025

Apr. 14—Woman schemed payments intended for deceased mother for 25 years
An Austin woman has entered a plea of guilty to theft of government funds after over two decades of Social Security fraud.
According to a release from the U.S. Attorney's Office in Minnesota, acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick announced that Mavious Redmond had conducted the fraud for 25 years resulting in $360,000 in payments that were intended for her mother.
The fraud lasted from January 1999 to June of 2024.
Redmond pleaded guilty to one count of theft of government funds in U.S. District Court before Judge Nancy E. Brasel on April 9. A sentencing hearing will take place at a later date.
In the release it was related that according to court documents, Redmond, 54, carried out a scheme to collect her deceased mother's social security retirement benefits following her mother's death in January 1999.
On multiple occasions, Redmond impersonated her deceased mother to keep her fraud scheme going with one example taking place on June 4, 2024, when Redmond personally visited the SSA office, posing as her mother, and submitted a fraudulent SS-5 Application for Social Security Form using her mother's name, date of birth, social security number, and forging her deceased mother's signature. Redmond visited the SSA office again on June 20, 2024, resubmitted her deceased mother's documentation and the form with the forged signature.
This case is the result of an investigation by the Social Security Administration — Office of Inspector General.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Pierce County man sentenced in ‘high-volume' drug redistribution tied to prison gangs
Pierce County man sentenced in ‘high-volume' drug redistribution tied to prison gangs

Yahoo

time21 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Pierce County man sentenced in ‘high-volume' drug redistribution tied to prison gangs

A Pierce County man described as a 'high-volume' drug redistributor for the leader of a drug distribution ring tied to white supremacist prison gangs was sentenced Friday in U.S. District Court in Tacoma. Gregory Beers, 32, of Edgewood, received a total of 12.5 years in prison from U.S. District Court Judge David G. Estudillo. 'This is a very serious crime,' said at sentencing, according to a news release from the Acting U.S. Attorney's Office. 'It involved thousands and thousands of fentanyl pills, which wreak havoc on our community. There are people literally dying from these drugs and it leaves a wake of destruction for those who survive.' According to federal prosecutors, Beers was a high-volume drug redistributor for Jesse James Bailey, the leader of one of three branches of the drug distribution organizations tied to two Aryan prison gangs. On March 22, 2023, law enforcement made two dozen arrests on federal charges. Law enforcement seized 177 firearms, more than 10 kilos of methamphetamine, 11 kilos of fentanyl pills and more than a kilo of fentanyl powder, three kilos of heroin, and over $330,000 in cash from 18 locations in Washington and Arizona. 'Earlier in the investigation, law enforcement seized 830,000 fentanyl pills, 5.5 pounds of fentanyl powder, 223 pounds of methamphetamine, 3.5 pounds of heroin, 5 pounds of cocaine, $388,000 in cash, and 48 firearms,' the release noted. Prosecutors say Beers fled his residence on March 23, leaving behind drugs, cash, body armor and firearms. Law enforcement said that the residence contained heroin, fentanyl, methamphetamine and detailed drug ledgers. Police also found guns as well as bullet-proof vests in two of the bedrooms, digital scales, ammunition and nearly $5,000 in cash. Inside Beers' Mercedes, agents found more weapons and ammunition, as well as two Kevlar ballistic vests, and small bags of heroin and fentanyl powder. The trunk held another handgun and a bag of bullets, law enforcement said. Beers was arrested on April 11, 2023, after being found living in an RV parked at a Tacoma home and dealing narcotics, according to prosecutors. 'Even after seeing that his co-conspirators were arrested and knowing that he too was sought by police, Gregory Beers continued his drug trafficking, arming himself with guns,' Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller said in a statement. 'He was arrested with two firearms, $7,000 in cash and some $36,000 worth of jewelry that he would wear around his neck — all proceeds of drug trafficking.' Last June, Beers pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. In asking the court for the 12.5-year prison term, prosecutors noted that Beers was blatant about his drug dealing. 'Beers flaunted his drug trafficking and illegal firearm possession, sending videos of his firearms and drug proceeds to (Department of Corrections) inmates,' prosecutors wrote to the court. 'All of this was done for the purpose of his own personal enrichment, including his purchase of expensive jewelry.' According to Friday's release, three connected drug rings in the case were identified over an 18-month wiretap investigation. The three distribution rings were working together as the Aryan Family/Omerta Drug Trafficking Organization, the release stated, one of which was led by Beers' co-defendant Jesse Bailey. Bailey has pleaded guilty and is scheduled for sentencing on July 2, the release added.

House witness flips script on Dem who ambushed him during hearing with unearthed tweet: 'Iceberg is ahead'
House witness flips script on Dem who ambushed him during hearing with unearthed tweet: 'Iceberg is ahead'

Yahoo

timea day ago

  • Yahoo

House witness flips script on Dem who ambushed him during hearing with unearthed tweet: 'Iceberg is ahead'

FIRST ON FOX: A House committee witness who was called out by Democratic Rep. Robert Garcia of California during a hearing this week is pushing back after the congressman unearthed a past social media post on Social Security in an attempt to discredit his testimony. During a House oversight DOGE subcommittee hearing on Wednesday, Garcia grilled Power the Future CEO Dan Turner while holding up a posterboard of a past tweet calling Social Security a "government-sponsored Ponzi scheme." "Madoff went to jail for it. Congress runs on it," the post said. "I should be able to keep 100% of my money and not watch government waste it with a paltry percentage return." Garcia then suggested that post was evidence that Turner lacks the credibility to be testifying about the billions of federal tax dollars directed to left-wing NGOs. Social Security Commissioner Breaks Down Plan To Save Agency From Insolvency "A Ponzi scheme and so I think it's interesting, of course, as one of our Republican witnesses is calling Social Security a Ponzi scheme, and that's the person that we should be taking advice from here today," Garcia said. Read On The Fox News App "Without Social Security, 22 million people would be pushed into poverty. That includes over 16 million seniors and nearly 1 million children. And in fact, Elon Musk has also said and agreed with you, sir, that this is a Ponzi scheme. I think it's ironic that you are one of our witnesses talking about efficiency when you want to attack the single best program that we have to support people not just out of poverty, but across this country to uplift them, to ensure they can afford a decent life." Fox News Digital spoke to Turner, who stood by his post and outlined his belief, echoed by many, that Social Security is structured like a Ponzi scheme by definition. Sen Elizabeth Warren: Social Security Is Under Attack. Gutting It Is A Broken Promise "Rep Garcia does not know the definition of Ponzi scheme," Turner said. "Social Security is the ultimate Ponzi, demanding more and more people at the bottom pay in to fund the people at the top, expect our demographics have this now reversed. The system will default. Mr. Garcia nor I will likely never see a dime. That should worry him more than my social media feed." Turner told Fox News Digital that if Garcia's staff were to spend as much time trying to save Social Security as it did "combing through my social media" then "perhaps the Ponzi scheme can survive long enough for me to get a small percentage of what the government confiscated during my lifetime." Turner explained that his father had received a "paltry percentage" of what he paid into the program and the the government "kept the rest" when his father died. "That's not just a Ponzi scheme, it's government greed and politicians running a money-laundering operation to get reelected. No one should be compelled to pay into a failed system, yet in a free America, you don't have that choice." In addition to Turner and Elon Musk suggesting that Social Security is by definition set up like a Ponzi scheme, Fox News Digital previously spoke to James Agresti, president of the nonprofit research institute Just Facts, who said the characterization has "validity." 'Failure's Not An Option': Trump Budget Bill Will Be 'Big' Help For Seniors, Top House Tax-writer Says "A Ponzi scheme operates by taking money from new investors to pay current investors," Agresti said. "That's the definition given by the SEC, and contrary to popular belief, that's exactly how Social Security operates." Agresti explained to Fox News Digital that Social Security, a program mired for decades with concerns about waste, fraud, and improper payments, "doesn't take our money and save it for us, as many people believe, and then give it to us when we're older" like many Americans might believe. "What it does is, it transfers money when we are young and working and paying into Social Security taxes," Agresti said. "That money, the vast bulk of it, goes immediately out the door to people who are currently receiving benefits. Now, there is a trust fund, but in 90 years of operation, that trust fund currently has enough money to fund two years of program operations." The trust fund only being able to last for two years is not a result of the fund being "looted," Agresti explained, but rather it was put in place to "put surpluses in it" from money that Social Security collects in taxes that it doesn't pay out immediately and pays interest on. "The interest that's been paid on that has been higher than the rate of inflation," Agresti said. "So, the problem isn't that the trust fund has been looted. The problem is that Social Security operates like a Ponzi scheme." Democrats have vocally pushed back against efforts by Republicans and DOGE to reform Social Security or make cuts to what they say are examples of wasteful or improper spending from the department. "There's been a lot of misinformation about that as of late," Agresti told Fox News Digital. "You know, when DOGE came in and suggested that the Social Security Administration cut, I think it was about 10,000 workers, Democrats erupted that this is going to weaken Social Security. But the fact of the matter is that Social Security pays those workers who are for administrative overhead from the Social Security trust fund. So, by cutting out the money that they're paying them, you actually strengthen the program financially." Agresti told Fox News Digital that the current administrative overhead for Social Security is $6.7 billion per year, which is enough to pay more than 300,000 retirees the average old-age benefit. "Every single study shows social security going completely bankrupt in the next few years. Garcia and other democrats know the iceberg is ahead but rather than turn the ship, they are yelling at the iceberg about the senior citizens onboard," Turner said. "This Ponzi scheme is collapsing fast, and turning my tweets into posters is not going to stop it."Original article source: House witness flips script on Dem who ambushed him during hearing with unearthed tweet: 'Iceberg is ahead'

House witness flips script on Dem who ambushed him during hearing with unearthed tweet: 'Iceberg is ahead'
House witness flips script on Dem who ambushed him during hearing with unearthed tweet: 'Iceberg is ahead'

Fox News

timea day ago

  • Fox News

House witness flips script on Dem who ambushed him during hearing with unearthed tweet: 'Iceberg is ahead'

FIRST ON FOX: A House committee witness that was called out by Democratic Rep. Robert Garcia of California during a hearing this week is pushing back after the congressman unearthed a past social media post on Social Security in an attempt to discredit his testimony. During a House oversight DOGE subcommittee hearing on Wednesday, Garcia grilled Power the Future CEO Dan Turner while holding up a posterboard of a past tweet calling Social Security a "government-sponsored Ponzi scheme." "Madoff went to jail for it. Congress runs on it," the post said. "I should be able to keep 100% of my money and not watch government waste it with a paltry percentage return." Garcia then suggested that post was evidence that Turner lacks the credibility to be testifying about the billions of federal tax dollars directed to left-wing NGOs. "A Ponzi scheme and so I think it's interesting, of course, as one of our Republican witnesses is calling Social Security a Ponzi scheme, and that's the person that we should be taking advice from here today," Garcia said. "Without Social Security, 22 million people would be pushed into poverty. That includes over 16 million seniors and nearly 1 million children. And in fact, Elon Musk has also said and agreed with you, sir, that this is a Ponzi scheme. I think it's ironic that you are one of our witnesses talking about efficiency when you want to attack the single best program that we have to support people not just out of poverty, but across this country to uplift them, to ensure they can afford a decent life." Fox News Digital spoke to Turner, who stood by his post and outlined his belief, echoed by many, that Social Security is structured like a Ponzi scheme by definition. "Rep Garcia does not know the definition of Ponzi scheme," Turner said. "Social Security is the ultimate Ponzi, demanding more and more people at the bottom pay in to fund the people at the top, expect our demographics have this now reversed. The system will default. Mr. Garcia nor I will likely never see a dime. That should worry him more than my social media feed." Turner told Fox News Digital that if Garcia's staff spent as much time trying to save Social Security as it did "combing through my social media" then "perhaps the Ponzi scheme can survive long enough for me to get a small percentage of what the government confiscated during my lifetime." Turner explained that his father received a "paltry percentage" of what he paid into the program and the the government "kept the rest" when his father died. "That's not just a Ponzi scheme, it's government greed and politicians running a money-laundering operation to get reelected. No one should be compelled to pay into a failed system, yet in a free America, you don't have that choice." In addition to Turner and Elon Musk suggesting that Social Security is by definition set up like a Ponzi scheme, Fox News Digital previously spoke to James Agresti, president of the nonprofit research institute Just Facts, who said the characterization has "validity." "A Ponzi scheme operates by taking money from new investors to pay current investors," Agresti said. "That's the definition given by the SEC, and contrary to popular belief, that's exactly how Social Security operates." Agresti explained to Fox News Digital that Social Security, a program mired for decades with concerns about waste, fraud, and improper payments, "doesn't take our money and save it for us, as many people believe, and then give it to us when we're older" like many Americans might believe. "What it does is, it transfers money when we are young and working and paying into Social Security taxes," Agresti said. "That money, the vast bulk of it, goes immediately out the door to people who are currently receiving benefits. Now there is a trust fund, but in 90 years of operation, that trust fund currently has enough money to fund two years of program operations." The trust fund only being able to last for two years is not a result of the fund being "looted," Agresti explained, but rather it was put in place to "put surpluses in it" from money that Social Security collects in taxes that it doesn't pay out immediately and pays interest on. "The interest that's been paid on that has been higher than the rate of inflation," Agresti said. "So, the problem isn't that the trust fund has been looted. The problem is that Social Security operates like a Ponzi scheme." Democrats have vocally pushed back against efforts by Republicans and DOGE to reform Social Security or make cuts to what they say are examples of wasteful or improper spending from the department. "There's been a lot of misinformation about that as of late," Agresti told Fox News Digital. "You know, when DOGE came in and suggested that the Social Security Administration cut, I think it was about 10,000 workers, Democrats erupted that this is going to weaken Social Security. But the fact of the matter is that Social Security pays those workers who are for administrative overhead from the Social Security trust fund. So, by cutting out the money that they're paying them, you actually strengthen the program financially." Agresti told Fox News Digital that the current administrative overhead for Social Security is $6.7 billion per year, which is enough to pay more than 300,000 retirees the average old age benefit. "Every single study shows social security going completely bankrupt in the next few years. Garcia and other democrats know the iceberg is ahead but rather than turn the ship, they are yelling at the iceberg about the senior citizens onboard," Turner said. "This Ponzi scheme is collapsing fast, and turning my tweets into posters is not going to stop it."

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store