You Steal, Cheat and Commit Tax Evasion? BINGO! Your Number’s Up

Linda Pylant, the office administrator for a trade organization in Maryland, has been indicted on charges of tax evasion, wire fraud, identity theft and social security fraud.

From 2012 to 2020 Pylant was responsible for the organization’s bookkeeping, and in 2017 opened a bank account in her employer’s name that only she had access to.  Over a period of three years she deposited checks worth more than $700,000 into this account.  She spent more than $75,000 at a bingo hall, more than $100,000 in retail stores and restaurants and withdrew over $200,000 in cash.

In 2015 she applied for social security disability insurance and falsely stated that she was disabled.  She was approved and collected more than $125,000 in benefits while she continued to work for her employer.

If convicted, in addition to restitution, she faces a maximum of 20 years in prison for wire fraud, two years for identity theft, five years for social security fraud and five years for tax evasion