A suburban Chicago man has been indicted on charges of fraudulently obtaining Social Security benefits in the name of his deceased father. Richard Young, Jr., 61, from Maywood, Illinois, faces four counts of bank fraud and one count of embezzlement of government funds. He entered a plea of not guilty during his arraignment before U.S. Magistrate Judge Young B. Kim in Chicago. A status hearing is set for July 23, 2025, at 1:30 p.m., presided over by U.S. District Judge John F. Kness.
The indictment reveals that Young's father passed away in 2006. In 2013, Young applied for Social Security benefits under his deceased father's name. The Social Security Administration, unaware that the applicant was deceased, approved the application and issued benefits via direct deposit into an account under the father's name. From 2015 to 2021, Young allegedly accessed approximately $178,683 from this account for personal expenses at casinos, restaurants, gas stations, retail stores, and other places.
Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, along with Michelle L. Anderson from the Social Security Administration's Office of the Inspector General announced the indictment. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Niranjan Emani represents the government in this case.
“The indictment accuses Mr. Young of fraudulently obtaining benefits for years from a critically important retirement program,” said U.S. Attorney Boutros. “Social Security fraud threatens the very foundation of a program that many millions of hard-working Americans depend upon in retirement—and which taxpayers fund through their hard-earned income."
It is important to note that an indictment does not equate to guilt; Young remains presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court proceedings where the government carries this burden.
Each bank fraud count could lead to up to 30 years in federal prison if convicted while embezzlement carries a maximum sentence of ten years.
