A Florissant, Missouri, woman admitted on July 21 to stealing $170,000 in Social Security benefits following the death of a relative.
Laneka Holmes, 45, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of theft of government money. According to court documents, Holmes did not report the death of a relative on May 23, 2017, as required by law. The deceased relative’s Social Security payments continued to be deposited into an account jointly held with Holmes from May 2017 until April 2025. Holmes admitted that she unlawfully received a total of $170,574 during this period.
Holmes is scheduled for sentencing on October 21. She faces up to ten years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 or both. In addition to any sentence imposed by the court, she will also be ordered to repay the stolen funds.
The case was investigated by the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jolene Taaffe.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri investigates and prosecutes federal crimes and enforces civil rights while serving 49 counties across Missouri using facilities such as the Thomas F. Eagleton U.S. Courthouse in St. Louis and Rush H. Limbaugh Sr. U.S. Courthouse in Cape Girardeau; it operates under the United States Department of Justice and works with community entities to prevent crime and improve quality of life, according to its official website.