A New Jersey woman is accused of impersonating her deceased aunt since 1998 and collecting her pension and benefits for all those years. He came to receive more than $1 million, federal prosecutors said.

The 77-year-old, of South Orange, collected her deceased aunt’s pension and benefits for 25 years, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey.

In October 2022, a government employee called a phone number provided by the woman’s aunt to see if she was still alive, since she would have been over 100 based on her birth date.

The 77-year-old picked up the phone pretending to be her aunt, but her confused answers seemed to betray her.

From 1998 to 2023, he reaped $1,011,004.85, according to the complaint.

The woman was arrested on December 21 on charges of fraud.

Both the Social Security Administration (SSA) and the US Office of Personnel Management continued to deposit benefits into the woman’s aunt’s bank account until her death was discovered, prosecutors said.

In fact, the defendant was also writing checks, forging her aunt’s name, which she was submitting to her own company.

In addition, he used allowances for fuel and purchases in supermarkets.

The woman faces up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000 or a fine of “twice the greater of the pecuniary gain or loss caused by the offense.”