- Collected his deceased mother’s survivor benefits for ten years
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. - A federal grand jury meeting in Bowling Green, Kentucky this week charged a Taylor County, Kentucky resident with failure to report to Social Security Administration the death of his mother and fraudulently received her survivor benefits for ten years, announced David J. Hale, United States Attorney for the Western District of Kentucky.
George B. Roberts, age 69, was charged in a two count federal indictment, Jan. 16, 2013, with theft of United States’ Funds and with Social Security Administration Payee Fraud. The indictment alleges that between June 2000 through August 2010, Roberts, willfully and knowingly converted to his use Social Security survivors insurance benefits, valued at approximately $110,148, belonging to the United States of America, which had been paid to his deceased mother’s checking account. The indictment further alleges that Roberts, concealed and failed to disclose to the Social Security Administration, that his mother, A.V.R., a beneficiary, was deceased, and he thereby intentionally and fraudulently continued to secure payment where no payment was authorized.
If convicted of count 1 of the indictment, Roberts shall forfeit to the United States any property derived directly or indirectly from gross proceeds traceable to the commission of the offense. Roberts faces, no more than 15 years in prison, a fine of up to $500,000 and a period of no more than three years of supervised release.
Roberts is scheduled for arraignment on the charges before U.S. Magistrate Judge Brent Brennenstuhl on Jan. 30, 2013, in United States District Court located in Bowling Green, Kentucky.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney James H. Barr and was investigated by the Social Security Administration’s Office of Inspector General.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
