Rapid City Woman Charged with Theft of Government Property and Fraud

United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Rapid City, South Dakota, woman has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Theft of Government Property, Supplemental Security Income Benefits Fraud, and two counts of False Statement.

Holli Lundahl, a/k/a Holli Telford, age 63, appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daneta Wollmann and pleaded not guilty to the Indictment.

The maximum penalty upon conviction is 10 years in prison, and/or a $250,000 fine, 3 years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund for the Theft of Government Property charge.  The maximum penalty upon conviction for the other charges is 5 years in prison, and/or a $250,000 fine, 3 years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.  Restitution may also be ordered.

The charges relate to Lundahl knowingly converting to her own use money of the U.S. Social Security Administration, namely Title XVI Social Security Supplemental Income payments in excess of $1,000, between 2014 and 2019.  Lundahl also falsely reported her resources and assets, and concealed and failed to disclose her resources and assets in order to continue to receive and spend SSI benefit payments made by the Social Security Administration.  On March 28, 2019, Lundahl failed to disclose to a Social Security Administration Claims Specialist that she had joint access to a checking account that contained in excess of $25,000, and that she had an ownership interest in property located in Texas, which she knew would affect her right to ongoing SSI payments. In December 2018, Lundahl filed a Notice of Appeal with a document that contained a forged date stamp with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit.

The charges are merely accusations and Lundahl is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

The investigation is being conducted by the Office of the Inspector General – Social Security Administration.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Kelderman is prosecuting the case.

Lundahl was released on bond pending trial.  A trial date has been set for April 7, 2020.