Louisiana Woman Indicted for Theft of Government Funds for Allegedly Stealing Approximately $59k

New Orleans, Louisiana – A Louisiana woman has been indicted for Theft of Government Funds for allegedly stealing $59,320.97 in Social Security Administration and Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act funds between 2016 and 2020.

On Tuesday, January 17, 2023, United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that Penelope Passero (“Passero”), age 48, of Westwego, Louisiana, was indicted on January 12, 2023, for Theft of Government Funds, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 641.

According to the indictment, Passero knowingly accessed and converted approximately $59,320.97 in Social Security Administration and Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act ("CARES ACT") funds between February 2016 and December 2020.

U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

The Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force on May 17 to marshal the Department of Justice's resources in collaboration with agencies across the government to strengthen efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other things, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. Visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus for more information on the department's response to the pandemic.

Anyone with information about COVID-19 fraud allegations can contact the Department of Justice's National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or use the NCDF Web Complaint Form by following this link.

The United States Attorney's Office would also like to thank the Social Security Administration's Office of Inspector General for its assistance with this matter. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian M. Klebba, Chief of the Financial Crimes Unit.