Woman pleads guilty to cashing dead mom's checks for 23 years
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STAFF REPORT - Published: June 8, 2009
BRATTLEBORO — A Wilmington woman pleaded guilty Friday to federal charges of cashing her dead mother's benefit checks for 23 years.
Anne M. Shea, who was 64 years old when she was arraigned in February, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Brattleboro to a felony charge of theft of public funds, which carries maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. As part of the plea agreement, Shea agreed to make restitution for the money she stole but there is no sentence agreement.
According to a two-page indictment filed with the court, Shea's father worked as a postal carrier for the U.S. Postal Service. In 1975, Shea's father died and her mother continued to collect the benefits until her death in 1982.
From February 1982 until November 2005, Shea repeatedly submitted false paperwork to the Office of Personnel Management indicating her mother was still alive.
She endorsed the checks issued to her mother and deposited them for her own use, collecting about $235,000.
Shea's attorney did not return a call seeking comment.
Shea will be sentenced Sept. 18.
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