Woman Sentenced For Stealing Dead Grandmother's Benefits - Boston News, Weather, Sports | FOX 25 | MyFoxBoston

Woman Sentenced For Stealing Dead Grandmother's Benefits

A Philadelphia woman was sentenced to 33 months in prison for collecting her dead grandmother's survivor benefits from the Veteran's Affairs and Office of Personnel Management. 

Doris Whitfield Richardson's grandmother died in 1986.  Following her death, investigators say Richardson created a scheme where she set up PO Boxes and bank accounts in the grandmother's name. 

The U.S. Attorney says she then funneled those survivor funds into accounts for her own personal use.  

Richardson also did not report this income when she herself applied for government assistance.

Richardson pleaded guilty in July of 2012 to four counts of conversion of government funds, eight counts of wire fraud and one count of Social Security fraud. 

In addition to her prison term, Richardson has been ordered to pay restitution of $222,641.24, a special assessment of $1,300, and to be subject to three years supervised release at the conclusion of her prison term.  R

Richardson was immediately remanded to the custody of the Bureau of Prisons.