United States of America v. Asha Anderson

Miami, Florida, criminal defense lawyer represented the defendant charged with theft of government funds, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 641, and Social Security Fraud, in violation of 42 U.S.C. 408.

Asha Anderson, 48, of Pompano Beach, took her great-aunt's Social Security benefits directly deposited into a bank account. Because the Social Security retirement benefits through direct deposits into her bank account. After her great- aunt passed away, the Social Security Administration, unaware of her death, continued depositing monthly benefit payments into the account.

Between April 2017 and December 2022, Anderson repeatedly accessed her late great-aunt’s bank account and withdrew more than $152,000 in Social Security retirement benefits to which she was not entitled. Over the nearly six-year period, Anderson made hundreds of cash withdrawals from ATMs located primarily in Pompano Beach and Coconut Creek.

The Defendant was found guilty and faces up to 10 years in federal prison for theft of government funds and up to five years for Social Security fraud. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.