{"id":218343,"date":"2022-06-22T04:37:02","date_gmt":"2022-06-22T11:37:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/?p=218343"},"modified":"2022-06-22T10:20:04","modified_gmt":"2022-06-22T17:20:04","slug":"nyc-elderly-woman-gambled-away-much-of-655k-in-stolen-benefits-prosecutor-reveals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/nyc-elderly-woman-gambled-away-much-of-655k-in-stolen-benefits-prosecutor-reveals\/","title":{"rendered":"NYC Elderly Woman Gambled Away Much of $655K in Stolen Benefits, Prosecutor Reveals"},"content":{"rendered":"

A 77-year-old woman spent much of the approximately $655,000 she bilked from government agencies at casinos, prosecutors announced this week. The Bronx, N.Y., defendant will avoid prison for an elaborate plot that started in 1960.<\/p>\n

\"Bronx,
Bronx, N.Y. District Attorney Darcel D. Clark, pictured above. She announced this week a woman was given probation after allegedly stealing approximately $655,000 in government benefits. Much of the money was spent on gambling. (Image: Bronx District Attorney)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The loot was stolen by Carmen Soto from the Social Security Administration and the New York City Human Resources Administration by using fake names to collect benefits, according to Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark.<\/p>\n

The defendant collected money under three different names, and carefully orchestrated a scheme to collect benefits she was not entitled to,\u201d <\/strong>Clark explained.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Soto’s plot lasted for decades. But officials eventually realized something was up when Soto recently tried to renew her driver\u2019s license. New York Department of Motor Vehicles facial recognition software revealed Soto was using multiple identities, Clark said.<\/p>\n

Soto was placed on probation for five years by Bronx Supreme Court Justice Jeffrey Rosenblueth. If she completes the probation successfully, she avoids going behind bars, Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark said in a statement.<\/p>\n

Soto also must pay back the money under the plea bargain. Clark revealed that \u201cmost of [the money] \u2026 was spent gambling at a casino.\u201d Last month, Soto pleaded guilty to second-degree grand larceny.<\/p>\n

Long Con<\/h2>\n

In the past, Soto applied for and was approved for benefits by using the three names. Over the years, Soto collected $266,479.40 from the New York\u2019s Human Resources Administration and $388,322.24 from the Social Security Administration, prosecutors said.<\/p>\n

\n

Besides her actual name, she used the names Gloria Sanchez and Carmen Maldonado. She had Social Security numbers for each of her three identities dating back to 1960. She also had gotten driver\u2019s licenses or non-driving IDs from the New York DMV. She also had multiple bank accounts, boxes at the Post Office, and passports.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Despite Soto not getting prison time, Sharon MacDermott, who works for the Social Security Administration\u2019s New York Inspector General\u2019s office, advised in a statement, \u201cThis sentencing should stand as a warning to those who are thinking of defrauding the Social Security Administration to receive benefits \u2013- we will hold you accountable.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ohio Investigation<\/h2>\n

Last month, in an unrelated case, a Latino nonprofit in Ohio<\/a> closed its doors after the organization\u2019s now-former executive director reportedly admitted to embezzling funds to cover her gambling habit.<\/p>\n

\n

Sabina Serratos was the subject of a criminal complaint recently filed with the Toledo Police Department, the Toledo Blade<\/em> newspaper reported. Serratos was the executive director of Adelante, The Latino Resource Center, until her dismissal earlier this year.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Serratos\u2019 termination came after board members were informed of potential fraud stemming from an audit of the organization\u2019s finances conducted by a third party. Adelante Chairman Daniel Briones filed the complaint with local police on April 29.<\/p>\n

Briones says the audit discovered that more than $400,000 went missing. Auditors linked the missing money back to Serratos and fraudulent business receipts.<\/p>\n

Charges in Malta<\/h2>\n

In an unrelated case, the parents of a seven-year-old boy in Malta<\/a> received donations from friends, family, and charitable organizations to cover their son\u2019s cancer treatment. Instead, they allegedly gambled away the money.<\/p>\n

The 31-year-old father and 27-year-old mother from Mosta, Malta, face charges of misappropriation, fraud, and money laundering following their arrest a few years ago.<\/strong><\/p>\n

They finally appeared before a judge this year, according to Malta Today<\/em>. They entered not guilty pleas to all charges, the report said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A 77-year-old woman spent much of the approximately $655,000 she bilked from government agencies at casinos, prosecutors announced this week. The Bronx, N.Y., defendant will avoid prison for an elaborate plot that started in 1960. The loot was stolen by Carmen Soto from the Social Security Administration and the New York City Human Resources Administration […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":44,"featured_media":218345,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[60],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nElderly NYC Casino Goer Avoids Prison, Allegedly Stole $655K in Benefits<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"A woman went gambling after she stole $655,000 from the government, officials said. 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