Florida man collects dead mother’s Social Security

June 1, 2012

The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Orlando said that a Brevard man was sentenced to four years in a federal prison for collecting nearly $160,000 from his dead mother’s Social Security checks for 20 years, reports the Orlando Sentinel.

His mother mysteriously disappeared in 1992, while living with her son.

Months later, Brevard County deputies found an elderly woman’s body floating in the Indian River. The death was ruled a homicide, but the sheriff’s office could not identify the remains of the woman.

Meanwhile, the son, who could not answer officials’ questions about his mother’s whereabouts, and unknown to the authorities, was living off his mother’s Social Security checks, federal officials said.

In 2007, detectives reopened the case, and DNA testing matched the elderly woman’s remains to his mother.

According to Florida Today, her son is considered a suspect in her death, but he claims that she died of natural causes and that he merely disposed of the body.

He has not been charged with her death at this time; however, in March, he pleaded guilty to the charges of using the money from his mother’s Social Security checks.

A U.S. District judge has sentenced the son to four years in federal prison, and he is to pay back $58,922.80 to the federal government.

If you or someone you know needs help with available SSD benefits, contact the Social Security Disability lawyers at Fleschner, Stark, Tanoos & Newlin.