A Picayune woman has pleaded guilty to theft of public money by collecting benefits using two different Social Security numbers.
According to court records, 69-year-old Zenda Marie Bryan admitted to receiving Disability Insurance Benefits and Supplemental Security Income benefits using one Social Security number while simultaneously using another Social Security number to obtain and maintain employment.
Bryan was reported to have used the two Social Security numbers in the Western District of Oklahoma, where she was charged in a federal indictment.
The charges have since been transferred to the Southern District of Mississippi, where Bryan is now living.
“Ms. Zenda Bryan misused SSA programs and numbers for her own gain; her actions not only defrauded the Disability Insurance Benefit program but also the Supplemental Security Income program, a critical safety net for those in need,” said Special Agent in Charge Jason Albers. “This plea will hold her accountable for the fraud she committed against SSA and taxpayers.”
Bryan, who faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, will be sentenced on July 17. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case was investigated by the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General.
