A Colorado woman has been sentenced to six months in federal prison for stealing government benefits.
Antoinette Vazquez Cobain, 67, of Loveland, Colorado, was sentenced to six months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release in addition to $33,159.48 in restitution to the Social Security Administration, and $214,144 in restitution to the Loveland Housing Authority after pleading guilty to one count of wire fraud.
According to the plea agreement and facts established at the sentencing hearing, Vazquez Cobain wrongfully obtained payments from both the Social Security Administration and Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program via the Loveland Housing Authority from about December 2007 until August 2024.
“Abusing government programs for personal gain is a serious crime that reduces the resources which are supposed to be available to people who really need them,” said U.S. Attorney for the District of Colorado Peter McNeilly. “I am glad we were able to bring justice to someone who stole from American taxpayers.”
Vazquez Cobain used one Social Security number to obtain benefits and used a second Social Security number to work and conceal assets.
“Committing fraud against Social Security programs isn’t just a violation of the law — it directly harms the vulnerable individuals these programs are meant to support,” said Christian Assaad, Special Agent in Charge, Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, Denver Seattle Field Division. “This sentence reflects our commitment to holding accountable those who exploit taxpayer-funded programs, and we will continue working with our law enforcement partners to protect the integrity of these vital benefits.”
United States District Judge Nina Y. Wang presided over the sentencing.
“Antoinette Vazquez Cobain spent almost two decades using two social security numbers to orchestrate a sophisticated fraud scheme that resulted in the theft of almost $250,000 in taxpayer-funded federal benefits, including substantial HUD rental assistance funds intended to support our nation’s most vulnerable populations,” said Special Agent in Charge Machelle Jindra, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Inspector General. “Her actions were not a one-time mistake or lapse in judgment, but a calculated and sustained effort to defraud the United States Government over many years. HUD OIG remains steadfast in our commitment to working alongside the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners to aggressively pursue those who exploit federally funded housing programs and threaten the integrity of critical public assistance programs.”
Loveland woman who stole $250,000 in Social Security and housing payments imprisoned https://t.co/EKJ52uf0nS https://t.co/OVYC0OKPgi
— Reporter-Herald (@reporterherald) October 21, 2026
The Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of the Inspector General handled the investigation.
Special Assistant United States Attorney Laura A. Shattuck handled the prosecution.
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