Vivina Barnwell, a 62-year-old resident of Dade City, was sentenced on Apr. 6 to two years in federal prison for aggravated identity theft and access device fraud. U.S. District Judge James S. Moody, Jr. handed down the sentence after Barnwell pleaded guilty on May 16, 2025. She was also ordered to pay more than $96,000 in restitution to the Social Security Administration.
According to court documents, Barnwell’s adult son, identified as P.C., was receiving Social Security disability benefits before he went missing in 2016 and remains unaccounted for. Although Barnwell reported her son missing to local police, she did not inform the Social Security Administration of his disappearance and continued using his debit card to withdraw and spend his benefits.
U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe said, “The intentional deception perpetrated against the Social Security Administration in this case constitutes theft of taxpayers’ dollars. Such fraud will not be tolerated against our federal programs.”
Norman Jenkins, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the Atlanta Field Division at the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General (SSA OIG), said: “Stealing Social Security benefits intended for another is an egregious betrayal of trust. Ms. Barnwell’s guilty plea underscores our commitment to holding accountable those who exploit SSA programs for personal gain… We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to protect beneficiaries and ensure that funds meant to support disabled individuals are used for their care and well-being.”
The Department of Justice noted that its efforts align with President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud—a government-wide initiative chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance aimed at eliminating fraud within federal benefit programs.
The National Fraud Enforcement Division focuses on investigating and prosecuting misuse or theft of taxpayer dollars by coordinating with agencies administering benefit programs and partnering with various law enforcement bodies across jurisdictions.
This case was investigated by the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General along with the New Port Richey Police Department and prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Del Mastro.
