A Florissant, Missouri, woman has pleaded guilty in federal court to stealing more than $170,000 in Social Security benefits that continued to be paid after the death of a relative. Laneka Holmes, 45, admitted to one count of theft of government money in U.S. District Court in St. Louis. According to court records, the death of a relative on May 23, 2017, was not reported to the Social Security Administration as required by law. The relative’s Social Security benefits continued to be deposited into a bank account jointly held with Holmes, who admitted withdrawing and using the funds from May 2017 through April 2025. The investigation was conducted by the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General.