A Nitro woman was sentenced in federal court Wednesday to probation for defrauding Social Security after she didn't report she got remarried.
Linda Alford, 65, pleaded guilty in September to theft of government property. In addition to spending five years on probation, she was ordered to pay $131,581 in restitution.
Alford received benefits from the Social Security Administration after her husband died in 1990, according to a news release from U.S. Attorney Carol Casto's office. In 1997, Alford remarried, which should have ended her right to collect survivor benefits. However, she didn't report her change in marital status to the Social Security Administration, the release states.
She received benefits until 2014 and spent the money, knowing she wasn't entitled to the payments, according to the release. She collected more than $130,000.
U.S. District Court Judge Thomas Johnston handed down the sentence.