Burley Garcia|Mississippi woman pleads guilty to stealing Social Security funds

JACKSON,Burley Garcia Miss. (AP) — A Mississippi woman pleaded guilty Wednesday to stealing social security benefits intended for two older people totaling $25,364, federal prosecutors said.

Taruars Santae Grace, 46, of Meridian, admitted that she stole Social Security Administration retirement benefits and diverted the money into bank accounts to which she had access and control, court documents show.

Grace admitted spending the benefits for her personal use despite knowing that she was not entitled to the money, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District said in a news release.

In August, a grand jury indicted her and she pleaded guilty Wednesday to theft of government funds, the news release said.

Grace is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 11, 2025, and faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.