ST. LOUIS – A woman from Edmundson, Missouri, went to federal court on Tuesday and was sentenced for helping her son fake a mental disability for more than 13 years so he could get government benefits.
Authorities from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri said that Zella Rives, who is 57 years old, sent a claim to the Social Security Administration in 2010 on behalf of her disabled son Gino Rives.
The Social Security Administration (SSA) thought Gino would not be able to handle his money, so they let Zella Rives pay for her son’s false claims. Between May 2010 and December 2023, Zella Rives got more than $91,000 from the SSA for her son.
In 2019, Zella Rives lied to the federal government again by saying that her son was eligible for disability.
Rives said he was guilty of five counts of stealing government money and one count of lying.
Giving a false statement can get you up to five years in jail and a fine of $250,000. If you steal money from the government, you will get 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Gino, her 36-year-old son, pleaded guilty to two different charges. He admitted to his part in the disability fraud case and to taking advantage of two elderly women financially.