OKLAHOMA CITY MAN TO SERVE 30 MONTHS FOR THEFT OF SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma – CHARLES E. WHITE, 59, of Oklahoma City, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Stephen P. Friot to serve 30 months in federal prison for theft of Social Security benefits and making false statements, announced Sanford C. Coats, United States Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma. In addition, Judge Friot ordered White to pay $78,945 in restitution to the Social Security Administration.

White was indicted on March 1, 2011, and charged with stealing Social Security Administration (SSA) Retirement Insurance Benefits paid to White’s deceased step-grandfather for 27 years. White pled guilty in May of last year and admitted to the theft of SSA benefits from March 2006 to December 2010 in the total amount of $78,945. In addition, he also pled guilty to three counts of making false statements to the SSA by representing that he spent the SSA benefits on food, clothing, housing and medical expenses for his deceased step-grandfather. White admittedly used the majority of the stolen SSA benefits to fund his crack cocaine addiction.

At the sentencing hearing today, Judge Friot took into consideration the entire amount of loss to the Social Security Administration and the extended duration of the theft.

This case was investigated by the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda Maxfield Green.