SSA Fraud: Michigan Man Uses Second Identity to Defraud SSA

Acting on information provided by an orthodontist’s office, our Detroit office investigated an 84-year-old Michigan resident and Title II retirement beneficiary. The orthodontist’s office reported that the man provided identifiers for his second identity when receiving treatment. Our investigation revealed that the man used his true name to apply for Title II disability and retirement benefits, while working under a false identity. He was overpaid $194,146, a combined total from overpayments under both identities.

The man pled guilty to theft of government funds. In November 2010, a U.S. District Court judge sentenced the man to one day of incarceration, and ordered restitution of $194,146 to SSA. Agents in our Detroit office seized cash and assets of approximately $173,800, which the man signed over as part of the restitution order.