Elderly Couple, Ages 89 and 87, Arrested for Allegedly Embezzling Over $1 Million in Pension Payments.

Elderly Couple, Ages 89 and 87, Arrested for Allegedly Embezzling Over $1 Million in Pension Payments.

The news as it trends. (USA)

An elderly couple residing in Gwinnett County, Georgia, has been apprehended for allegedly embezzling over $1 million from pension payments belonging to the deceased mother of one of the individuals.

Mary Ann Arceneaux, aged 87, and her spouse, Ernest Arceneaux, aged 89, face charges of identity theft fraud and theft by deception.

The couple is accused of unlawfully continuing to receive pension payments after the death of Mary Ann’s mother in 2010 by falsifying documents and submitting fraudulent proof of life forms.

From 2010 until 2025, the Arceneauxs collected these pension payments, which came to light when officials from the California State Teachers’ Retirement System discovered the mother’s death certificate during routine checks.

The investigation indicated that Mary Ann Arceneaux began forging documents and submitting fraudulent proof of life forms in May 2018 to maintain the pension payments.

The total amount allegedly defrauded since 2010 is reported to be $1,166,862.69.

The couple was receiving approximately $8,000 monthly from the pension payments prior to their arrest.

Following their arrest, both individuals posted bail and are currently awaiting trial.

Their advanced age may influence the legal proceedings, as older offenders sometimes receive leniency due to health considerations.

Nonetheless, the seriousness of the crime, the substantial sum involved, and the length of the fraudulent activity will be critical factors in determining their potential sentencing.