A Pleasantville woman admitted to stealing more than $140,000 in her mother's state pension benefits for eight years after the older woman died.
Diana Heil, 49, pleaded guilty to third-degree theft by unlawful taking in Gloucester County Superior Court, Attorney General Gurbir Grewal said.
As part of the plea agreement, the state will recommend Heil be sentenced to 364 days in county jail. She also must pay full restitution.
Heil's mother was beneficiary of her deceased father's pension benefits as part of the New Jersey Teachers' Pension and Annuity Fund.
But the Divison of Pensions and Benefits did not learn of the woman's death, and kept making monthly payments into a joint checking account Heil and her mother shared, according to the investigation.
The bank notified Heil about the money in 2013, and then she told the state of her mother's death.
An audit by the division led to Heil being asked to return the money that had been wrongly paid out.
Heil acknowledge that the money wasn't hers and promised to return it. Instead, according to the charges, she made a series of large withdrawals and wire transfers, totaling $140,873.
Heil is set to be sentenced March 8.
