Columbia, South Carolina---- United States Attorney Bill Nettles stated that Gerald W. Costner, age 71, of Fort Lawn, South Carolina has been sentenced in federal court in Columbia, South Carolina, for theft of government funds, a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 641. Chief United States District Judge Terry L. Wooten of Columbia sentenced Costner to five months imprisonment and ordered him to pay restitution of $92,925.00.
Evidence presented at the change of plea hearing established that Costner obtained Social Security Administration (SSA) benefits by collecting his roommate’s benefits from June 1992 until January 2014, after his roommate died. Costner failed to notify the SSA of the death and collected $92,925.00 in fraudulent Social Security Benefits.
The case was investigated by agents of the Office of Inspector General, Social Security Administration. Assistant United States Attorney William E. Day II of the Columbia office prosecuted the case. ##
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
