An employee of the Social Security Administration in St. Paul and three other Twin Cities residents were indicted by a federal grand jury this week in an alleged decade-long conspiracy to obtain real Social Security cards under phony identities.
Two of the defendants were also charged with theft of public money related to housing and Social Security benefits.
The indictment, made public Thursday, alleges a conspiracy dating to at least May 2001 through June 2010 involving Dianne Josephine Chess, 49, of St. Paul -- a service representative at the Social Security office -- Victor Ray Holloway, 52, of Richfield, Angela Grace Hinkle, 49, of Minneapolis, and Larhea Lynn Nakao, 33, of Minneapolis.
The government alleges that Holloway asked Chess to obtain Social Security account numbers and Social Security cards for himself and his alleged coconspirators. Chess allegedly entered phony identification information into the Social Security Administration's computerized data entry system.
Holloway and Nakao face additional charges as well. Holloway, also known as Victor Young and Kevin Click, was charged with theft of public money by fraudulently obtaining more than $77,000 in Social Security disability benefits.
Nakao, also known as Larea Holloway, was charged with making false statements and theft of public money related to an application for benefits in 2009. She allegedly failed to disclose that she was employed at the time by Legacy Management and Development Corp. The indictment says she obtained $16,332 in benefits she was not entitled to receive.
Court records show that Holloway has prior convictions for theft, robbery, forgery and assault. Nakao has prior convictions for theft, drugs, a drive-by shooting and transaction card fraud. Hinkle, also known as Angela Grace Holloway, has prior convictions for transaction card fraud and theft.
Dan Browning 612-673-4493
