Nevadans face fraud charges

Monday, Feb. 28, 2000 | 10:50 a.m.

Three Nevadans have been charged with Social Security fraud in a crackdown in California in which 18 people are accused of bilking the government out of nearly $1 million in benefits.

The defendants in 15 separate cases were charged Friday with several Social Security violations including mail fraud, wire fraud and theft of government property.

Abraham Combs, 59, and Sandra Combs, 52, of Las Vegas are charged with four counts of defrauding the Social Security Administration out of more than $31,000 in Supplemental Security Income to which they were not entitled.

The couple, formerly of Fairfield, Calif., are alleged to have provided the Social Security Administration with false statements regarding their residency to obtain benefits, U.S. Attorney spokeswoman Patricia Pontello said.

Leath M. Brown, 51, of Reno is charged with two counts of theft of government property and Social Security fraud. He is alleged to have received more than $11,000 in Supplemental Security Income to which he was not entitled.

It is alleged that he falsely reported he had no income and was living in California while residing and working in Reno.