Freeport woman accused of cashing her dead grandma's Social Security checks
A Freeport woman faces charges for allegedly continuing to cash her grandmother's Social Security checks after the older woman's death in 2008. Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto/BackyardProduction
Nassau County prosecutors have charged a Freeport woman with allegedly stealing more than $48,000 in Social Security benefits from her deceased grandmother’s account.
Alexandria Sobrane, 46, faces a charge of grand larceny in connection with $48,335 in Social Security checks she continued to receive after her grandmother, Hannah Sobrane, died in 2008.
Her grandmother, who was a children’s author under the pen name Babe Power, began receiving Social Security benefits under the pen name in 1985. After her death, Alexandria Sobrane continued to cash the checks at a local grocery store, prosecutors said. The Social Security Administration says the death of a relative receiving benefits must be reported and any additional benefits must be returned.
Authorities said Sobrane also asked the Social Security Administration to transfer her benefits to a debit card.
“The defendant allegedly bilked the Social Security Administration out of nearly $50,000 by continuing to cash her grandmother’s check well after the woman passed away in 2008,” Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly said in a statement. “Social Security retirement benefits are meant to help Americans in their golden years, not enrich criminals.”
Sobrane, who was arrested Tuesday, pleaded not guilty during her arraignment Thursday. She was released on her own recognizance. Her attorney with Nassau County Legal Aid could not be reached for comment.
The case was investigated by Nassau County authorities and the Social Security’s Office of the Inspector General, prosecutors said.
“Failing to report the death of an individual to gain control of their Social Security benefits is a federal crime,” said Gail S. Ennis, Inspector General for the Social Security Administration. “We work closely with our law enforcement partners to identify these cases, investigate perpetrators and seek prosecution.”
Sobrane is scheduled to return to court March 27 for her next hearing. If convicted, she faces 2⅓ to 7 years in prison.
John Asbury is a breaking news and general assignment reporter. He has been with Newsday since 2014 and previously worked at The Press-Enterprise in Riverside, California.
