| For Immediate Release Case # 08CF1972
July 9, 2008 |
Susan Kang Schroeder Public Affairs Counsel Office: 714-347-8408 Cell: 714-292-2718 Farrah Emami |
WOMAN CONVICTED OF USING FICTITIOUS SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBERS TO STEAL OVER $160,000 IN LARGEST KNOWN PUBLIC ASSISTANCE HOUSING FRAUD CASE IN ORANGE COUNTY
SANTA ANA – A woman was convicted today of using fake social security numbers to steal over $160,000 in the largest known public assistance housing fraud case in Orange County. Laura Bianca Razo, 42, pleaded guilty to one felony count of identity theft, one felony count of grand theft, and two felony counts of perjury by declaration. Razo was sentenced to two years in state prison and ordered to pay $164,181 in restitution.
Between 1987 and 2006, Razo used three separate social security numbers to defraud the County, the federal government, and two California colleges. Razo used one of the social security numbers to apply for government aid and financial programs, including public housing assistance. She received over $166,000 in Orange County Housing vouchers through Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
Razo used a different social security number to hide income in order to continue collecting public housing assistance while working as an insurance adjuster earning as much as $60,000 a year. The fraudulent social security number was used by Razo to obtain another social security card, which she used to gain employment and hide the income from HUD. The stolen social security number belonged to another California resident.
The defendant also used the fraudulent social security number to take out more than $43,000 in college loans, which she failed to repay, while attending Fullerton College and the University of California, Berkeley.
Deputy District Attorney Marc Labreche of the Major Frauds Unit prosecuted this case.
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