The Inspector General of Social Security, Gail S. Ennis, is announcing the sentencings this week of two Social Security Administration (SSA) employees in the Northern District of Illinois. Anne Aroste, also known as Ann Aroste, and Kurt Walter were sentenced after being convicted of charges related to their misuse of SSA systems for personal gain. These charges were based on two separate Social Security Office of the Inspector General (OIG) criminal investigations.
In the first case, Aroste, who worked as a claims specialist in SSA’s Aurora, Illinois office, submitted and approved fraudulent applications for SSA benefits of individuals whose identities she altered with fictitious information, including U.S. Passport information, to ensure the individuals would qualify for the benefits. She then directed the funds to bank accounts she controlled. Between August 2013 and May 2018, Aroste received over $730,000 from this scheme. She was indicted by a Federal grand jury in June 2018 and later pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated identity theft and one count of wire fraud. Aroste was sentenced today to 48 months’ imprisonment and 3 years’ supervised release, as well as restitution of $732,382to SSA.