Worcester County woman charged with stealing $41K benefits

A woman from Worcester County has been charged with stealing over $41,000 in Social Security benefits. Gina Llerena-Donohue, 62, allegedly committed the fraud over 15 years by failing to report the death of a beneficiary for whom she had power of attorney. Llerena-Donohue is accused of making cash withdrawals from the deceased beneficiary's account and submitting false affidavits to the bank. She claimed the power of attorney was still valid despite the beneficiary's death in January 2006. She faces one count of bank fraud, which could result in a sentence of up to 30 years in prison. A court appearance is scheduled for a later date.