Malden Woman Pleads Guilty To Social Security Theft, Embezzlement

MALDEN, MA — A Malden woman admitted to stealing Social Security benefits and embezzling more than $27,000 from a bank, the U.S. Attorney's office said. Materesa Jose, 53, pleaded guilty Tuesday to federal charges of theft of public funds and bank embezzlement.

Federal authorities said Jose stole about $27,605 from Eastern Bank, some of which consisted of Social Security benefits, while she was employed there between September 2017 and July 2018. The account from which she stole belonged to a person who had died in 2015, the USAO said.

Jose faces up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater, for the charge of theft of public funds. The charge of bank embezzlement carries a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater.

Jose will be sentenced June 9.