Quincy woman sentenced to probation for failing to report marriage to keep collecting Social Security disability benefits
A Quincy woman pleaded guilty Thursday in US District Court in Boston to fraudulently receiving Social Security disability benefits for nine years, after failing to report she had gotten married, according to federal prosecutors.
Crystal Gesumaria, 41, was sentenced to three years probation and ordered to pay $93,603 in restitution, according to a statement from U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley’s office.
Gesumaria began receiving Disabled Adult Child (DAC) benefits in March 2005, the statement said.
DAC benefits are Social Security benefits for individuals who became disabled before age 22, and are based on a parent’s earnings record, according to the SSA website. The benefits are provided only if the parent is retired, disabled, or deceased. They also terminate end upon marriage, with limited exceptions, according to the website.
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The SSA had informed Gesumaria of these eligibility requirements when she first started receiving benefits, according to the statement from Foley’s office.
However, Gesumaria married in 2013 and failed to notify the SSA, resulting in her unlawfully receiving $93,603 in DAC benefits from July 2013 to August 2022, the statement said.
Gesumaria also received several reminders to report any changes in her marital status. In 2016, she submitted a continuing disability review referring to her husband as a “friend” and “roommate.” In May 2022, when confronted by a DAC employee, she denied any knowledge of the marriage, according to the statement.
Gesumaria was charged with theft of government funds in October 2024, the statement said.
Rita Chandler can be reached at rita.chandler@globe.com.