A woman from South Carolina has been arrested for allegedly stealing $147,455 in pension payments intended for her deceased mother. The announcement was made by New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli, South Carolina Seventh Circuit Solicitor Barry J. Barnette, and Spartanburg County Sheriff Bill Rhyne.
Bonni-Lee Jones, 65, faces a felony charge of obtaining property valued at over $10,000 under false pretenses.
“Ms. Jones allegedly sought to profit off of her mother’s death and cheat the pension system,” DiNapoli said. “My office will continue to partner with law enforcement across the state and throughout the country to protect the pension system from those who seek to defraud it. My thanks to Solicitor Barnette and Sheriff Rhyne for their partnership in holding her accountable.”
Sheriff Rhyne commented on the collaboration between agencies: “This is an excellent example of what can be accomplished when agencies work together with a shared commitment to justice. We appreciate the efforts of our partners and are pleased to have assisted in bringing charges in this matter.”
According to officials, Jones’ mother retired in 2002 after nearly three decades as a clerk for the Suffolk County Police Department, receiving a monthly pension payment of $2,926 before relocating to South Carolina. After her death on August 8, 2019, pension payments were supposed to end; however, authorities say Jones did not inform the state retirement system until April 2024 and only confirmed her mother’s passing after being confronted by investigators.
The investigation conducted by DiNapoli’s office and the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office found that Jones was an account holder on her mother’s bank account. She is accused of using her late mother’s bank card to withdraw funds totaling $147,455 and transferring most of this money into her own account for personal use. Officials allege she used these funds for ATM withdrawals as well as cell phone bills and retail purchases.
Jones appeared in court in Spartanburg County after turning herself in to authorities. She currently resides in Louisiana.
Authorities remind that charges filed are accusations and Jones is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Since becoming Comptroller in 2007, DiNapoli has emphasized efforts against public corruption and urges members of the public to report suspected fraud involving taxpayer money via a toll-free hotline or through online channels or mail.
