A South Carolina woman was arrested today for allegedly stealing $147,455 in pension payments meant for her deceased mother, New York Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli, South Carolina Seventh Circuit Solicitor Barry J. Barnette and Spartanburg County, South Carolina Sheriff Bill Rhyne announced. Bonni-Lee Jones, 65, was charged with the felony crime 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.”
"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," Rhyne said.
Jones’ mother retired after almost 30 years as a clerk for the Suffolk County Police Department in 2002 with a monthly pension payment of $2,926 and subsequently relocated to South Carolina. When she passed away in South Carolina on Aug. 8, 2019, her pension payments should have stopped, but Jones did not notify the state retirement System of her mother’s death until April 2024 and then only confirmed her passing after being confronted with information which had come into possession of the retirement system.
DiNapoli’s investigation with the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office found that, following her mother’s death, Jones, who was an account holder on her mother’s account, allegedly used her deceased mother’s bank card to withdraw $147,455 from her mother’s bank account. She transferred most of the money into her personal bank account, from which she made ATM withdrawals. She also allegedly spent the stolen money on cell phone charges and various retail purchases.
Jones appeared in Spartanburg County Court. Jones is currently living in Louisiana. As a result of the investigation, she turned herself in to the authorities in South Carolina.
The charges filed in this case are merely accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
Since taking office in 2007, DiNapoli has committed to fighting public corruption and encourages the public to help fight fraud and abuse. New Yorkers can report allegations of fraud involving taxpayer money by calling the toll-free Fraud Hotline at 1-888-672-4555, by filing a complaint online at [email protected], or by mailing a complaint to: Office of the State Comptroller, Division of Investigations, 8th Floor, 110 State St., Albany, NY 12236.