A woman from Franklin County, Missouri, has been indicted for allegedly committing disability fraud amounting to $174,000 over a span of more than 14 years.
Starr Lumos, who is also known as Starr Rodrigue and is 54 years old, was indicted on April 16 in the U.S. District Court in St. Louis. She faces charges of theft of government money and concealment of information from the Social Security Administration concerning her eligibility for benefit payments.
Lumos surrendered herself to authorities on Wednesday and entered a not guilty plea to the charges.
According to the indictment, from October 1, 2009, to March 1, 2024, Lumos is accused of concealing her full physical capabilities and undisclosed ownership, work, and income at various businesses. This deception allegedly resulted in her receiving $174,391 in unwarranted disability payments.
It is important to note that these charges are accusations and do not equate to proof of guilt. The presumption of innocence applies to Lumos unless she is proven guilty in a court of law.
If convicted, the theft of government money charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, while the concealment charge could result in up to five years in prison. Both charges also include a possible fine of up to $250,000.
The investigation was conducted by the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General and the Cooperative Disability Investigations Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Diane Klocke is handling the prosecution of the case.
