Eva Bratcher — who was previously convicted in state court for hiding her mother Regina Michalski's body in a freezer — now faces three federal fraud charges alleging she collected $21,402 in Social Security benefits and improperly used SNAP benefits while concealing the death. Michalski's body was found nearly two years after her death; the Cook County medical examiner ruled the death accidental due to choking. Bratcher pleaded guilty to concealing a death and possessing a fraudulent ID in October 2023 and received concurrent 18-month sentences. The federal case is part of a broader DOJ sweep alleging more than $1.3 million in benefit fraud.
Chicago Woman Indicted On Federal Social Security Fraud Charges After Hiding Mother's Body
Image Credit: Chicago Police Department.
Eva Bratcher, a Chicago resident who previously served time in state prison for concealing her mother's body, now faces federal fraud charges alleging she collected Social Security and SNAP benefits belonging to the deceased woman.
Federal prosecutors say Bratcher illegally received $21,402 in Social Security benefits after her mother, Regina Michalski, died. Authorities allege Bratcher assumed Michalski's identity to collect Social Security payments and used Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits during the roughly two years Michalski's body remained hidden in a freezer.
What Investigators Found
Police discovered Michalski's body in a deep freezer inside the Portage Park garage where Bratcher and her mother lived after Bratcher's daughter, Sabrina Watson, requested a welfare check in January 2023. Investigators recovered a receipt suggesting the freezer had been purchased about a week after Michalski is believed to have died, and also found a state ID bearing Bratcher's photo but Michalski's personal information.
Charges And Prior Conviction
Bratcher has been indicted on three federal fraud-related counts alleging benefit theft and improper use of SNAP benefits. Federal prosecutors also contend she used a different Social Security number to obtain additional SNAP benefits.
In state court, Bratcher pleaded guilty to concealing a death and possessing a fraudulent identification card. In October 2023 she was sentenced to concurrent 18-month terms for those offenses.
Cause Of Death And Broader Enforcement
Michalski's body was kept frozen for nearly two years before officers discovered it. Once the body thawed enough for examination, the Cook County medical examiner ruled the death accidental, caused by choking on a foreign object.
The federal indictment is part of a monthlong Justice Department enforcement initiative that charged 17 people in cases alleging more than $1.3 million in losses tied to Social Security benefit fraud. Assistant Attorney General Colin McDonald said the prosecutions reflect work by the DOJ's National Fraud Enforcement Division and represent only a portion of the fraud under investigation.
Bratcher has not been convicted on the federal charges; she is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
Help us improve.
