Women Took Mother's Social Security for 14 Years After Death, Prosecutors Say

A 65-year-old Doylestown woman will head to trial on charges that she cashed almost $90,000 worth of social security checks made out to her deceased mother.

According to court records, Helen Pulak is facing felony charges of theft by deception and failure to make required disposition of funds after authorities say she accepted 14 years of social security checks sent to her mother, Hedwig Pulak, who died in 1996. She was arrested in February but remains free on bail as she awaits trial.

Prosecutor Ryan Hyde said Pulak was depositing the money then using it to pay her bills, according to CBS Philly. The payments ended four years ago after the Social Security Administration discovered that her mother had died, CBS reported.