Originally Posted - July 27, 2006

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MINEOLA---Two Nassau County residents have been accused of stealing more than $90,000 from the U.S. Social Security Administration and a life annuity pension after they allegedly failed to give notification of the deaths of their mothers.

Linda Meyeroff-Sakkatos, 37, of Bethpage, has been charged with two counts of third degree grand larceny, a class D felony. Ingrid Chase, 52, has been charged with a single count of third degree grand larceny.

The charges stem from the defendants' neglecting to inform the Social Security Administration and the Diocese of Rockville Centre, the administrator for a private life annuity pension of Nancy Meyeroff, that their mothers had passed away and should no longer be collecting benefits.

Ms. Meyeroff-Sakkatos' mother, Nancy Meyeroff, passed away on July 2, 1998. At the time of her death, she was receiving Social Security benefits and a pension from the Diocese of Rockville Centre. Both monthly payments were directly deposited into her bank account, which was held jointly with her daughter, the defendant, Linda Meyeroff-Sakkatos. Between the months of August 1998 to December 2004 Ms. Meyeroff-Sakkatos received $68,904 in Social Security Benefits to which she was not entitled. The Social Security Administration's Office of the Inspector General began an investigation into Ms. Meyeroff-Sakkatos following an anonymous telephone call to the Social Security Administration regarding the possibility of theft by the defendant. Following an initial investigation, the Social Security Administration referred the case to the Nassau County District Attorney's Office. A joint investigation and audit of Ms. Meyeroff-Sakkatos' bank account also uncovered that the defendant received $21,055 in pension payments from August 1998 to August 2005 to which she was not entitled.

Ms. Chase's mother, Agnes Kelly, passed away on Jan. 4, 2000. Ms. Kelly was receiving Social Security benefits at the time of her death, which was directly deposited into her bank account. This bank account was a joint account Ms. Kelly had with her daughter, Ms. Chase. Between January 2000 and May 2006, it is alleged that the defendant received $30,355 in Social Security benefits to which she was not entitled.

The case was then referred to the Nassau County District Attorney's Office. 7-27-06

© 2006 North Country Gazette