TAMPA, Fla. – A 64-year-old Tampa woman faces decades in federal prison after authorities say she dumped her aunt’s body in a wooded lot to keep a steady stream of stolen pension and Social Security checks coming in.
Rebecca Stewart Vaughn was hit with a federal indictment late last week, charged with four counts of wire fraud and one count of theft of government money in a case that local investigators describe as a calculated effort to profit off a relative’s death.
The details laid out by U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe paint a grim picture of the lengths Vaughn allegedly went to for the money.
According to court documents, when Vaughn’s aunt, identified only as J.C., passed away, Vaughn didn’t call a funeral home or the police. Instead, she allegedly wrapped the woman’s body in layers of blankets, sheets, and plastic bags. Investigators say she then stuffed the body into a mattress bag and abandoned it in a wooded area right next to a wastewater treatment plant.
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For months, the money kept flowing. By hiding the death and even lying to police officers who asked about her aunt’s whereabouts, Vaughn reportedly convinced the Social Security Administration and the City of New York Teacher’s Retirement System that J.C. was still alive and well.
Federal prosecutors claim Vaughn spent more than $75,000 of her dead aunt’s benefits on herself and others before the scheme finally unraveled.
“The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars,” the Department of Justice noted in a statement regarding the broader crackdown on benefit abuse. This specific investigation was a joint effort between the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office and the Social Security Administration’s Office of the Inspector General.
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If she is found guilty, the legal consequences will be massive. Each of the four wire fraud counts carries a maximum of 20 years in prison, and the theft charge could add another 10 years.
On top of the prison time, the government is moving to seize the $75,000 Vaughn allegedly pocketed. For now, Vaughn is presumed innocent under federal law until the case goes to trial. Special Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Del Mastro is set to lead the prosecution.
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