Bratcher was indicted on federal Social Security and SNAP fraud counts after hiding her mother’s body.

A federal indictment is an accusation. It is not a conviction. On Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026, the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division announced charges against 17 defendants in a Social Security benefits surge, and named Bratcher among them. Prosecutors allege about $21,402 in intended loss tied to her mother’s benefits and SNAP. An Oct. 1 federal court date in Chicago is process, not a finding of guilt.

According to the Justice Department, Bratcher allegedly concealed her mother’s body in a deep freezer in her garage for two years, assumed her mother’s identity, collected her mother’s Social Security benefits, and used her mother’s SNAP benefits. The announcement also alleges she used an alternate Social Security number to steal additional SNAP benefits. Those are charging claims. They are not proof.

CBS Chicago reported that Bratcher previously pleaded guilty in 2023 to concealing a death and possessing a fraudulent ID card and was sentenced to 18 months in prison, and that her mother, Regina Michalski, died in March 2021. The New York Post and WTTW also reported the new federal fraud counts. A prior state conviction is history. It is not a verdict on the new federal indictment.

The Justice Department said the charges are theft of government property under 18 U.S.C. § 641 and Social Security benefit fraud under 42 U.S.C. § 408, with stated maximums of 10 years and 5 years. CBS Chicago reported an Oct. 1 appearance in federal court in Chicago. Maximums on a charging paper are exposure. They are not a sentence. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.