United States Attorney's Office District of Connecticut
Press Release

BRISTOL WOMAN PLEADS GUILTY TO EMBEZZLING GOVERNMENT BENEFITS

Kevin J. O'Connor, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that LINDA L. ROBERGE, age 42, of 49 Willowbrook Road, Bristol, Connecticut, pleaded guilty today in New Haven federal court to embezzling funds that had come into her possession as the fiduciary for her Army veteran father.

On July 23, 2003, a federal grand jury sitting in New Haven returned a two-count Indictment charging ROBERGE with embezzling or stealing veterans benefits and social security benefits paid by the United States Government. During today's proceedings before Senior United States District Judge Ellen Bree Burns, ROBERGE pleaded guilty to count one of the Indictment that charged ROBERGE with receiving money from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs for the benefit of her father, Salvatore A. Cascone, a World War II veteran of the United States Army. ROBERGE admitted that instead of using the money for the benefit, care and maintenance of her father, she spent the money for items to benefit herself. As disclosed in court, after being appointed as a fiduciary to receive her father's V.A. benefits that were to be paid to the State of Connecticut Veterans Home and Hospital, where her father was then a patient and resident, ROBERGE received $6,225 in V.A. benefits that she used for herself.

As part of her plea agreement, ROBERGE agreed that at sentence, the court could order her to pay a total of $28,754 in restitution to the Veterans Home and Hospital, a figure that represents the $6,225 in VA benefits and $22,529 in Social Security benefits that she had received for her father but instead used for her benefit.

When she is sentenced by Judge Burns on August 28, 2004, ROBERGE faces a maximum term of imprisonment of five years and a fine of up to $250,000.

U.S. Attorney O'Connor commended the agents of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs and the United States Social Security Administration who investigated this matter. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael E. Runowicz.

CONTACT:

U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
Tom Carson
(203) 821-3722
thomas.carson@usdoj.gov