A 27-year-old woman pleaded guilty to disclosing the Social Security numbers of customers of Watertown-based Tufts Health Plan this week.
Emeline Lubin admitted to stealing data from the company and gave the list to a man in Florida, who was involved – along with her brother – in a scheme to “steal Social Security benefits and to collect fraudulent income tax refunds by using stolen identities to file false income tax returns,” according to a press release from U.S. Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz’s office. The case is being prosecuted by Timothy Landry of Ortiz’s Major Crimes Unit.
The prosecutor said that Lubin stole and disclosed the personal data of over 8,700 customers, according to the release. Earlier this year, Sniders Jean-Jacques and Melvin Lubin pleaded guilty to the theft of public money in U.S. District Court in Worcester.
Date included names, birth dates and Social Security numbers, mostly of customers over age 65. Lubin began working at Tufts Health Plan in 2010.
The maximum sentence faced by Lubin is five years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater, and restitution. Sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties, according to the release.
U.S. District Judge George A. O’Toole, Jr., scheduled sentencing for Nov. 13, 2014.