CINCINNATI – Napoleon Crawford, 52, of Mason, was arrested and appeared in U.S. District Court here on July 30 to face charges in a two-count indictment alleging that Crawford has stolen more than $80,000 in Social Security and Department of Defense benefits earned by his father, a retired Navy officer who died in 2016.
Crawford is the fifteenth person charged this year in the 48-county Southern District of Ohio based on results of a large audit conducted by the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, which found that dozens of Ohioans are illegally collecting a deceased relative’s federal retirement, Social Security or Veterans’ Administration benefits.
Ten of the fifteen people have pleaded guilty to charges of theft of public funds, a felony that is punishable by up to ten years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The fifteen charged allegedly received more than $898,000 in benefits.
One person has been sentenced so far. Debra Edwards, 57, of South Lebanon was sentenced July 28. Edwards was ordered to repay $49,575 in benefits she received illegally and serve three years’ probation with the first 90 days to be served in home detention.
“We will prosecute people who stick their hands in the pockets of taxpayers to steal benefits earned by their relatives,” said David M. DeVillers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio. “The investigation is continuing and others could be charged.”
In addition to Crawford and Edwards, the following individuals have been charged:
Name
Lori Barker
51
Hamilton
$53,406
Awaiting sentencing
Kinnard Asher
60
South Lebanon
$33,308
Awaiting sentencing
Billy Gray
44
Mt. Orab
$43,998
Awaiting sentencing
Laverne Harrison
60
Cincinnati
$40,079
Awaiting sentencing
Linda Daniels
62
Mt. Orab
$62,336
Awaiting sentencing
Wayne Coulter II
33
Cincinnati
$28,742
Charges pending
Ronald Lewis
43
Hamilton
$55,508
Awaiting sentencing
Douglas Dible
68
Richwood
$153,962
Awaiting sentencing
Gloria Funk
65
New Lexington
$55,920
Awaiting sentencing
Victor Warren
52
Marietta
$36,090
Charges pending
Donald Hawkins Jr.
47
Columbus
$27,120
Charges pending
Christina Saldana
41
West Carrollton
$103,042
Charges pending
Nathaniel Carruth
64
Dayton
$75,077
Awaiting sentencing
The cases are part of the national Social Security Administration (SSA) Fraud Prosecution Project, a collaboration with SSA’s Office of the General Counsel, Office of the Inspector General and the Department of Justice.
For more information on SSA’s Fraud Prosecution Project and the agency’s other anti-fraud efforts, please visit https://www.ssa.gov/antifraudfacts/.
David M. DeVillers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, along with the Social Security Administration’s Office of the Inspector General, Office of Audit; the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General; The Veterans’ Administration Office of Inspector General; the United States Office of Personnel Management Office of Inspector General and the United States Secret Service announced the results of the ongoing initiative. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Landry is representing the United States in this initiative.
Statements contained in indictments or bills of information are allegations only. Defendants should be presumed innocent unless convicted in a court of law.
