Ex Office Administrator Charged For Defrauding Over $700K From Employer, Social Security Fraud And Tax Evasion
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- A 57-year-old Grasonville woman is facing federal charges for wire fraud, social security fraud, identity theft and tax evasion, the Maryland States Attorney's Office said.
Linda Pylant was indicted Friday for defrauding her employer, a trade association, of more than $700,000 when she worked there as an office administrator from 2012 to July 2020. According to the indictment, during that period she also fraudulently took Social Security Payments and engaged in tax evasion.
The indictment alleges that Pylant opened a secret bank account for her employer in 2017 and caused over $700,000 to go to that bank account instead of the intended location. Pylant had bank statements from that account sent to her address.
The indictment said that Pylant spent more than $75,000 at a local bingo hall and over $100,000 on shopping. She also reportedly withdrew over $200,000 in cash.
In 2015, Pylant reportedly obtained Social Security Disability insurance by saying she was disabled and unable to work, but she continued working for the trade administration. The indictment said that Pylant spent more than $125,000 in unemployment benefits.
The indictment said that from November 2014 to July 2020, she avoided reporting her taxable income by having her pay diverted into a nonexistent corporation.
If convicted, Pylant faces a maximum of 20 years in federal prison for five counts of wire fraud, and five years for social security fraud and tax evasion. There is a mandatory two years in prison for aggravated identity theft.
