A friend of mine, a senior citizen, is being accused of SSI Fraud. In early 2008, he applied for Medicare, and was asked if he wanted to apply for SSI at the same time. He said sure, and received benefits for most of 2008. His file was reviewed recently, and it was pointed out to him that he has some investment resources that he didn't declare when he applied originally for benefits. He's in the process of getting an attorney, but the prospect of jail time, etc. is completely unnerving to him. Paying back the benefits, and a reasonable financial penalty, he could live with, but I am writing to see if there's any way to know what he should expect.

A lot of this is going to come down to his past record and the court he appears in. Speaking with an attorney is his best option right now. He or she can best explain what to expect. Have you browsed through the information in LawInfo's Free Legal Resource Center to learn more about the issue yet? See: http://www.lawinfo.com/consumer.html. Search the "Free Legal Resources" tab, or browse the Consumer Resources. Good luck.