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Still in their 20s, the Florida couple enjoyed the good life: exotic getaways, a spacious home in Palm Beach County and a silver Bentley.
They invited the world into their lives by frequently posting videos on YouTube and other online platforms.
On camera they staged pranks, flaunted possessions — their son drives a toy Porsche — and laid family squabbles bare. In a segment called “Things We Hate About Each Other!” he revealed she picks her nose.
People watched — and the couple amassed 1.3 million subscribers, their YouTube profile says.
But what people didn't see was their secret past. Before they were YouTubers whose videos have racked up nearly 189 million views, they were crooks.
Billy Altidor, 29, and Evanie (Eva) Louis, 27, admit that in 2014 and 2015, they stole Social Security benefits owed people old enough to be their grandparents.
Their crimes are detailed in court documents, including the terms of a plea deal they struck with federal prosecutors. A third defendant is awaiting trial.
As part of a conspiracy, the defendants accessed, or attempted to access, My Social Security online accounts belonging to more than 1,400 people, prosecutors said.
To gain access, they used stolen data called “personally identifiable information.” That's sensitive data such as Social Security numbers, dates and places of birth, and mothers’ maiden names — information that fraudsters covet since it fuels a long list of crimes.
My Social Security, launched in 2012, is an internet portal available to current and future beneficiaries. They can create online personal accounts to view benefit statements, earnings histories and other information.
Beginning in 2013, the Social Security Administration (SSA) allowed people to make cha ..
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