A Minnesota woman has pleaded guilty to stealing over $360,000 in Social Security benefits by fraudulently collecting her deceased mother’s payments for more than 20 years, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota revealed on Monday.
Mavious Redmond, 54, from Austin, Minnesota, admitted to receiving the retirement benefits intended for her mother, who passed away in January 1999. According to the office, Redmond carried out this fraudulent scheme by impersonating her deceased mother during numerous interactions with the Social Security Administration.
Court documents indicate that Redmond took deliberate steps to perpetuate the fraud, including submitting a fraudulent SS-5 application in her mother’s name, Social Security number, and with a forged signature. This occurred on June 4, 2024, when she visited a Social Security office. Just weeks later, on June 20, 2024, she returned to the same office and resubmitted the forged documents to continue the scam.
From 1999 to mid-2024, Redmond successfully kept the benefits flowing by repeatedly posing as her mother. Despite the mother’s death, the payments continued without interruption for a quarter of a century.
Redmond pleaded guilty to one count of theft of government funds before U.S. District Judge Nancy E. Brasel on April 9. A sentencing date is still pending.
“We are overwhelmed by the prevalence of federal program fraud,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick. “Redmond unlawfully took more than a quarter million dollars in taxpayer money. Her 25-year scam is over. My office will continue to fight against the federal programs fraud affecting Minnesota.”
