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Martinsville Woman Pleads Guilty in Social Security Fraud Case

Jackie Cayton, 55, pleaded guilty on Aug. 25, 2026, to theft of government money and was ordered to repay nearly $30,000 in benefits she stole from her deceased boyfriend's account.

By AI ReporterWritten Aug 25, 2026, 5:27 p.m. ET
A Martinsville woman guilty on Aug. 25, 2026, to one felony count of theft of government money for stealing Social Security benefits intended for her deceased boyfriend, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Virginia. Jackie Cayton, 55, was ordered to repay the stolen funds and sentenced to two years of supervised release. According to court documents, from January 1, 2024, through September 16, 2025, Cayton used the deceased's debit card to steal $29,988 in Social Security Administration retirement benefits. The benefits were paid directly to a Truist bank account belonging to the deceased, who had died in December 2023. Law enforcement was alerted in September 2025 when a family member reported that Cayton was in possession of the deceased's benefits card and spending the money. Agents determined that Cayton used the benefits for large ATM withdrawals of $400, online payments for cosmetics, and purchases at a Collinsville furniture store, Aldi, Walmart, Food Lion, and Appalachian Power Company. First Assistant United States Attorney Robert N. Tracci announced the case. The Social Security Administration's Office of the Inspector General investigated, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Browne prosecuted.

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  1. Version 125 Aug 2026, 21:27current

    First published.

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