A Rochester woman pleaded not guilty Wednesday after she was charged with cashing her deceased grandmother's workers' compensation benefit checks.

Brandy Sheppard, 37, allegedly cashed more than $5,000 in benefits checks between December 2015 and October 2016, according to the New York State Inspector General's Office. Her grandmother died in November 2015.

“This is an egregious case where an individual exploited the death of her grandmother for illicit gain,” Inspector General Letizia Tagliaferro said in a news report. “Workers’ compensation exists to provide a safety net for those truly injured in their line of work and in need of support. Unfortunately, unscrupulous individuals attempt to cheat the system.”

Sheppard has a court date set for later this month.