A 58-year-old Eudora woman has pleaded guilty to one count of making a false statement that allowed her to receive about $61,000 in Social Security disability benefits for which she was not eligible.
Sheery Regalado pleaded guilty on Friday in federal court in Kansas City, Kan., after prosecutors filed the felony count earlier this month. As part of the plea, Regalado admitted to telling the Social Security Administration in 2007 that her husband did not live with her even though he did, which resulted in her receiving benefits she was not eligible to receive from August 2000 to July 2011. According to the plea, she also told investigators Regalado had access to a joint bank account with her husband.
Prosecutors said Social Security investigators need to know the number of residents living in a household and the income available to determine the monthly amount a recipient is eligible to receive.
According to the plea agreement, prosecutors will recommend Regalado serve home detention if she has no significant past criminal history. She also must pay $61,000 restitution.
Regalado’s sentencing is scheduled for November.
Comments
Hooligan_016 10 months ago
This means we must abolish social security now, right?
/snark
Cant_have_it_both_ways 10 months ago
She is not the only one. I'll bet there is a crap ton of this going on.
just_another_bozo_on_this_bus 10 months ago
Don't you just love it when a story comes along that "justifies" your petty and mean-spirited view of the world?
Cant_have_it_both_ways 10 months ago
One thing we can count on you for Bozo is if it is against the law, or the very fabric of ethics, you are all in. I am ashamed for you.
just_another_bozo_on_this_bus 10 months ago
Actually, I have no problem with the action that was taken against her.
But unlike you, I don't believe that everyone and anyone who gets some form of assistance should be smeared because of the actions of this woman.
vertigo 10 months ago
Which is why we need to focus on investigating and finding fraud rather than waste money on drug testing which costs more than we save.
jhawkinsf 10 months ago
There are some, not all, not the majority, maybe not even a lot, but some, who get their disability checks, spend the money in bars and then go sleep at our local shelter. And the biggest problem is that that behavior does not necessarily fall into the category fraud. They've made poor decision making a lifestyle.
Frankie8 10 months ago
You are right there. I know because I was at the Salvation Army Shelter for a while and there were men who got a monthly check and used the money to party with friends at the Jayhawk Motel, I think it was. You couldn't help but notice that they had a lot of friends. About two weeks into the month they would be back at the shelter and begging downtown for money. Now, I also want to add that there were men, and women, who were working and put their paychecks in the safe at the Salvation Army and saved up enough to pay for an apartment.
Some have simply burnt their bridges behind them and not one landlord in Lawrence will rent to them.
jackbinkelman 10 months ago
Sounds like those people had mental deficiencies they are unwilling or unable to deal with.
jhawkinsf 10 months ago
And there are enablers willing to assist them until they finally destroy themselves completely.
But for those enablers who get paid to help those people, those professionals who have been trained to best assist these people, those paid professionals who advocate for them and collect a salary for doing so, and then continue to enable, shame on you. They have a serious conflict of interest, are in the best position to see that conflict, and pretend they do not have such a conflict. Their job depends on not looking in the mirror.
jackpot 10 months ago
Impossible, disability payment is set by how much you have paid in FICA tax, not by how much money you can get to. Supplemental Security Income is income based so how much you have is a factor.
tomatogrower 10 months ago
Hey, I'm all for busting people who are playing the system. I'd like to know why it took so long for Texas to bust this doctor for Medicaid and Medicare fraud? Is it because he had money? Not all people who rip off Social Security, Medicaid, and Medicare are poor people not wanting to work.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/29/us/seven-charged-in-texas-medicare-and-medicaid-fraud.html
greenworld 10 months ago
The idea is to collect ss not do somebodys job for them to pay it back. And they wonder why ss is broke and going in the hole.
OonlyBonly 10 months ago
Sorry greenworld SS is broke because the US Government "borrowed" monies paid into it by the working public and their employers for years. Do a little investigation before criticizing....... K?
cletus26 10 months ago
According to the plea agreement, prosecutors will recommend Regalado serve home detention if she has no significant past criminal history. She also must pay $61,000 restitution.
well i be.... i say, "give her thieving butt some time in prison!!
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