Woman in Morocco Convicted of $215,000 Pension Fraud Against French Government

Since January 1998, the date of her mother’s death, a septuagenarian, originally from the Eure and living in Morocco, continued to receive her retirement pensions, reports CNews. A fraud discovered during a check. She defrauded nearly 200,000 euros and will be found guilty of fraud against the National Old-Age Insurance Fund by the Évreux criminal court. On Monday, the defendant was sentenced. She received 15 months in prison with probationary suspension for 3 years. She will also have to repay the amount received to the pension fund.

This phenomenon "is very widespread in France and there are regular examples," says Charles Prats, former magistrate of the national delegation to the fight against fraud. And to explain: "The town halls record the deaths and this file is updated every week. The old-age insurance fund has the information and can thus turn off the tap. But for that, the death must be declared".