Here’s a feel-good story for American taxpayers — if, by “feel-good,” you mean rage-inducing. A Minnesota woman just admitted to running a brazen 25-year scam on the Social Security system, collecting over $360,000 by impersonating her dead mother. You can’t make this stuff up.
Mavious Redmond, 54, of Austin, Minnesota, pleaded guilty in federal court to theft of government funds. The details? Equal parts astonishing and infuriating. Redmond’s mother passed away in January 1999. Instead of reporting the death like a normal person with a shred of decency, Redmond decided to keep the checks rolling — for a quarter of a century.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Redmond repeatedly impersonated her late mother, even going so far as to visit the Social Security Administration office in person, pretending to be mom. She submitted not one but two fraudulent applications in June 2024, using her mother’s name, birth date, and Social Security number — and even forged her signature.
This wasn’t a one-time clerical error. This was a long, calculated, multi-decade deception. And it worked — until it didn’t.
Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick laid it out bluntly: “We are awash in federal programs fraud. Redmond stole well more than a quarter million dollars in taxpayer funds.” She added, “She scammed Social Security for literal decades. No more.”
That “no more” isn’t just tough talk, either. President Donald Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency has made fraud investigations a top priority — especially when it comes to Social Security, a program that’s already strained under mismanagement, bloated bureaucracy, and yes, fraud.
In fact, Trump is set to sign an executive order specifically aimed at preventing illegal immigrants from accessing Social Security benefits — and expanding investigations like the one that finally caught up with Redmond. According to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, this new order will also give investigators more tools to combat theft from federally funded programs.
In other words: you game the system, you’re going to pay. Maybe not immediately, but eventually, Uncle Sam’s coming for that refund.
Redmond’s official sentencing hasn’t been announced yet, but the DOJ says the penalty for theft of federal funds can include up to 10 years in prison and a fine of $100,000 — or double the amount stolen. Do the math. That’s a potential $720,000 tab and a long stay behind bars.
For decades, hardworking Americans have watched while federal programs hemorrhage money — not just from red tape and wasteful spending, but from blatant fraud. This isn’t just about one woman in Minnesota. It’s about trust, accountability, and restoring some basic integrity to a system that desperately needs it.
So while the media chases down the next distraction, remember this: under President Trump, people like Mavious Redmond are finally facing justice. And that’s a win for every honest taxpayer.