INDIANAPOLIS — A warrant was issued for an Indianapolis woman who is accused of collecting nearly $70,000 in Social Security payments over the course of five years after the 2016 passing of her mother.
The Office of the Inspector is seeking Mattie Gorman, who faces four counts of theft where the value of property is between $750 and $50K.
Court records indicate her mother, 97-year-old Lena Gorman, passed away July 24, 2016. The Social Security Administration reported in 2021 they had not yet been notified of her passing.
An investigation by federal agents revealed Lena and her daughter, Mattie, lived together in Indianapolis and shared a PNC bank account, according to police records. Police believe that account was opened April 4, 2002.
Investigators reported they discovered Lena's monthly Social Security Administration retirement benefit of $1,223 had been directly deposited into that shared bank account until at least August 2021.
They then obtained a verification of death from the Indiana State Department of Health confirming Lena's passing on July 24, 2016, and moved to terminate her benefits.
When those benefits were terminated, investigators allegedly calculated an overpayment of $69,814.
Investigators found the monthly social security accounts were deposited into the shared account from August 2016 until July 2021, and included ATM withdrawals and debit card purchases.
Investigators with the Social Security Administration and Office of the Inspector interviewed Mattie on June 29, 2023, who reportedly told investigators at that time she knew she was not entitled to her mother's social security benefits, but intentionally failed to notify the administration of her mother's death in order to continue receiving and spending monthly payments.
Gorman said she was wrong for taking money that she was not entitled to and claimed she paid those funds back to the Social Security Administration at $200 per month.
