Minneapolis, M.N. – A woman in southern Minnesota is facing federal charges for allegedly pretending to be her dead mother in order to collect her social security checks totaling $360,000 over more than two decades.
The Minnesota U.S. Attorney’s Office says 54-year old Mavious Redmond of Austin started the fraud after her mother’s passing in 1999.
Redmond even impersonated her late mother twice while visiting Social Security Administration officers in 2024.
Redmond allegedly filed fraudulent forms with the use of her mother’s birthday, social security number and even forged her signature.
“We are awash in federal programs fraud,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick in a statement. “She [Redmond] scammed social security for literal decades. No more. My office will continue to aggressively pursue the federal programs fraud that plagues Minnesota.”
Redmond has pleaded guilty to one count of theft of government funds.
A sentencing hearing has yet to be schedule, but the punishment could carry up to 10 years in federal prison since the value of the government funds stolen exceeds $1,000.
