Durham Woman Pleads Guilty to Social Security Fraud

 PORTLAND, Maine: A Durham woman pleaded guilty today in federal court to Social Security fraud, Acting U.S. Attorney Donald E. Clark announced.

According to court records, from about July 2009 through November 2018, Carol Bourgoin, 65, a recipient of Supplemental Security Income (“SSI”), concealed the presence of her husband in her household to maintain her eligibility to receive benefit payments. SSI benefits are paid to people with limited income who are blind, disabled or elderly. Bourgoin’s husband had sufficient income to render her ineligible for the benefits she received during that period. In multiple reviews of her eligibility for benefits, Bourgoin falsely represented to the Social Security Administration (“SSA”) that she was living alone and not receiving help or money from any other person during this time. At an interview with law enforcement agents, Bourgoin admitted to concealing her living situation from SSA because she knew it would make her ineligible to receive SSI.

Bourgoin faces up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000, and up to three years of supervised release. She will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

SSA’s Office of the Inspector General investigated the case.