Washington County Woman Charged with Theft of Social Security Benefits

PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Washington, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of theft of government property, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. The one-count Indictment named Gina Marie Mullen, 58, as the sole defendant. According to the Indictment, Mullen used a deceased person’s bank debit card to steal Social Security funds, with a total calculated loss to the Social Security Administration of $24,236.91. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the loss from the offense, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Assistant United States Attorney Eleni F. Skezas is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Social Security Administration – Office of the Inspector General conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment. An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (Fraud Division). The Fraud Division is investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within federal benefit programs.