Summary

On March 31, 2015, Joyce B. Scott, former Deputy Regional Administrator, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Great Lakes Region, Des Plaines, Illinois, was indicted in U.S. District Court, Chicago, Illinois.  Scott was charged with embezzlement related to a scheme to fraudulently collect her grandmother’s Social Security Administration (SSA) benefits for several years after the grandmother had passed away.

At the time of the grandmother’s death on November 5, 2004, Scott shared a joint checking account with her grandmother, where her grandmother's SSA benefits were deposited. Following her death, the SSA benefits continued to be deposited monthly into the account as Scott did not close the account nor did she remove her grandmother's name from the account. The benefits continued until October 2010 when SSA discovered that Scott's grandmother was deceased. Scott spent the benefits deposited into the account, totaling approximately $24,000. 

In 1986, Scott began her federal career as a Special Agent with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. In 1989, she transferred to the FAA, Civil Aviation Security Division. In 2009, Scott was promoted and served in the position of Deputy Regional Administrator until the FAA terminated her in July 2011. 

We worked this investigation jointly with the SSA, Office of Inspector General.

Note:  An Indictment, information, and criminal complaint are only accusations by the government.  All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven innocent.