The Hartford Superior Court – GA14 – Criminal Courthouse, in Hartford in a file photo. Christina Richards, of Florida, was charged after officials said she stole nearly $98,000 in pension benefits from a Connecticut retiree who had died. She was arraigned in state Superior Court in Hartford last week.
A Florida woman was arrested after authorities said she stole nearly $98,000 in pension benefits from a Connecticut retiree who died.
Christina Richards, 41, is charged with first-degree larceny. During her Nov. 26 arraignment at state Superior Court in Hartford, the judge set her bond at $90,000, according to the state Division of Criminal Justice.
The Office of the Chief State’s Attorney began investigating Richards after receiving a complaint from the Connecticut Office of the State Comptroller in April, the DCJ said. The complaint reported that monthly pension payments continued to be sent to a home in Fort Pierce, Florida, where a Connecticut retiree had lived before dying in October 2021.
A total of $97,671 in payments went into the retiree’s bank account until the Office of the State Comptroller confirmed the death and suspended the benefits in November 2024, according to the DCJ.
Investigators determined that Richards had been living with the retiree at the time of her death and continued accessing the retiree’s bank accounts, the DCJ said. Search warrants on the accounts revealed consistent cash withdrawals after the retiree’s death, according to investigators.
Further investigation, including interviews and additional warrants, confirmed that Richards was the only person accessing the funds, the DCJ said.
Inspector Alfonso Vazquez of the Statewide Prosecution Bureau secured a warrant for Richards’ arrest on Oct. 31. On Nov. 13, he contacted the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office in Florida, which arrested her the same day. She was extradited to Connecticut on Nov. 24, according to the state Division of Criminal Justice.
Chief State’s Attorney Patrick J. Griffin thanked the state comptroller’s office and the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance. He said the agency remains committed to identifying, prosecuting, and bringing to justice those who steal public funds, especially pension benefits issued to deceased individuals.
Comptroller Sean Scanlon also emphasized the importance of protecting the disability pension system, noting that reforms introduced in 2024 helped uncover the fraud. Judicial records show that Richards remained in custody as of Wednesday and is scheduled to return to court on Dec. 24.
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