Woman steals over $121k sent to her dead grandmother

A Rochester woman, Elona Roberts, has pleaded guilty to stealing over $121,000 in state pension checks sent to her deceased grandmother. According to the New York State Comptroller’s Office, Roberts’ grandmother, a retired maintenance supervisor for Monroe County, received monthly pension checks after retiring in 1998. However, the pension system was not notified of her death in 2017, and the payments continued.

An investigation revealed that Roberts deposited 66 pension checks into her bank account, forging her grandmother’s signature. The stolen funds were used for personal expenses, including household bills, jewelry, hotels, and cash withdrawals.

The fraud came to light when the state pension system learned of her grandmother’s death, prompting an investigation by Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli’s office. Roberts admitted to the crime and is scheduled to be sentenced for grand larceny on March 7.

Source: Rochester First