Rochelle Perry didn’t want to jeopardize what she had. In 2019, she was getting easy money, almost $55,000 a year, from the Social Security Administration under her true Social Security number. But Perry wanted to work in the health care industry and knew her disability benefits would be reduced or eliminated if the SSA discovered she had a job. To make matters more difficult, she also knew that she might not be able to pass an employment background check if she applied for employment using her true Social Security number. What other obstacles might be in the way Perry’s dream job with a health care facility? Well, most importantly, Perry didn’t have any type of nursing license. A real conundrum for most, but not this fraudster.
Between February 2020 and March 2022, Perry allegedly submitted five fraudulent applications for employment to nursing homes and assisted living facilities, using stolen Social Security numbers on each application. Five of the jobs Perry applied for were for Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) positions. In those applications, Perry also allegedly used a stolen LPN license number to trick the employers into believing she was an LPN. She was hired at two facilities as an LPN. Perry was also hired at third facility as a memory care program coordinator, where she may have been hoping no one would remember she was a fraud.
Because during this time, she continued receiving her Social Security disability insurance benefits under her true Social Security number. On two separate occasions, in August 2021 and October 2022, Perry submitted Work Activity Reports to the Social Security Administration. In those reports, Perry declared, under penalty of perjury, that she had not earned any income since May 2019. Perry did not disclose that she had been earning wages at health care facilities. Just a technicality. She really wasn’t working as Rochelle Perry.
Should out to the SSA on this case. It is difficult working with multiple identities.
Today’s Fraud Of The Day is based on article “Woman indicted for using stolen Social Security numbers, nursing license to get jobs while also receiving disability benefits” published by The Indiana Lawyer on June 1, 2023
A woman who used stolen Social Security numbers and a stolen nursing license to obtain jobs while simultaneously receiving disability benefits has been indicted on federal fraud and identity theft charges.
Rochelle Perry, 49, is facing charges of five counts of Social Security number fraud, three counts of aggravated identity theft and one count of Social Security disability benefits fraud, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana announced Wednesday.
