A Wolcott woman, who stole about $120,000 in Social Security benefits

 A Wolcott woman, who stole about $120,000 in Social Security benefits intended for her dead brother, was placed on federal probation Monday for two years. Maryann Manning, 63, also must repay the money to the Social Security Administration as part of her court sentence. Manning pleaded guilty in June in U.S. District Court to a single felony charge of receiving stolen government money in Massachusetts and Vermont. Manning’s brother had received disability insurance benefit payments from the Social Security Administration, and those checks should have ended when he died in October 2015. Court records show that Manning continued to fraudulently collect her brother’s SSA benefits by withdrawing money from his accounts until February 2024. Manning took full responsibility for the theft when confronted by investigators on Feb. 16 and has cooperated fully. He said she will make restitution based on her future earnings from Social Security. She pleaded guilty to the felony theft charge on June 20 and was released without any active supervision order by the court.