Local woman pleads guilty to theft of government money after continuing to receive late brother’s Social Security checks
Published 11:23 am Friday, July 7, 2023
An Oakdale woman has been sentenced after pleading guilty to three counts of theft of government money in February.
Bobbie J. Blake Hampton, 62, was sentenced Thursday to eight months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Hampton was also ordered to pay $65,259 in restitution.
According to court documents, Hampton continued to receive Social Security disability insurance for her brother who died in September 2013.
The Social Security Administration found in 2020 that the disability funds were still being distributed to a bank account in her deceased brother’s name.
An investigation by the Social Security Administration found that following his death, Hampton fraudulently converted all of the funds received from the Social Security Administration into the bank account from October 2013 through November 20202 for her own personal use.
Hampton used the funds at local businesses in the Alexandria area when she knew the she was not entitled to receive those funds.
In addition, a U.S. Treasury COVID Economic Impact Relief Payment of $1,200 was deposited into the deceased brother’s account and was fraudulently converted by Hampton for her own personal use.
The case was investigated by the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney LaDonte A. Murphy.