A Kansas couple has been sentenced to prison for misappropriating Social Security and retirement benefits from a deceased relative over several years. Lynn Ritter, 62, and Kirk Ritter, 62, both residents of Overland Park, admitted guilt to charges of wire fraud and theft of government funds.

The federal court handed down a sentence of 12 months and one day in prison for Lynn Ritter. Her husband, Kirk Ritter, received a seven-month prison term.

The couple resided with Lynn's father in Overland Park where she was his caretaker. On October 23, 2022, Kirk contacted the Overland Park Police Department to report his father-in-law's death. Officers discovered the body in a mummified state on a bed. It was determined that he had passed away around July 1, 2016.

Following his death, $68,637 in pension payments and $147,429 in Social Security payments continued as direct deposits into the deceased’s bank account. The Ritters did not inform authorities about the death but instead accessed the funds for personal use by writing checks from the account and transferring money into their own accounts. They repaid the misused funds during their legal proceedings.

Mark Underwood from the U.S. Department of Labor stated: “These sentencings show the Labor Department is committed to ensuring that justice is served for those who steal from retirement plans.”

The investigation involved multiple agencies including the Overland Park Police Department, Social Security Administration – Office of the Inspector General, and the U.S. Department of Labor. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jabari Wamble led the prosecution.