Missouri Man Sentenced for $119,000 Deceased Payee Fraud

From the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Illinois:

Stephen R. Wigginton, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced that Quentin Jones, 44, of Berkeley, MO, was sentenced today on an indictment charging that he committed theft of government funds. The district court sentenced Jones to five years of probation. Jones was also ordered to pay $119,119 in restitution to the Social Security Administration and a $100 special assessment.

Jones admitted that between September 2006 and February 2014, he was unlawfully receiving more than $119,119 in Social Security benefits which were intended for his father. At his sentencing, Jones admitted that his father had passed away in September of 2006 and Jones had been stealing his father’s Social Security since that time.

This is one of several fraud prosecutions on behalf of the Social Security Administration. On July 1, 2014, United States Attorney Wigginton said: “These cases are yet additional examples of the wide-spread fraud that plagues both state and federal programs that are in place to help those in our society who need that help the most. My office will continue to stand beside both federal and state agencies in taking every step necessary to find and prosecute those who steal from, and continue to defraud these vital programs. This is a theft from not only the needy, but from all of us.”

The investigation was conducted by the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General. The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney John Constance and Assistant United States Attorney Michael Hallock.

Stephen R. Wigginton, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced that Quentin Jones, 44, of Berkeley, MO, was sentenced today on an indictment charging that he committed theft of government funds. The district court sentenced Jones to five years of probation. Jones was also ordered to pay $119,119 in restitution to the Social Security Administration and a $100 special assessment.

Jones admitted that between September 2006 and February 2014, he was unlawfully receiving more than $119,119 in Social Security benefits which were intended for his father. At his sentencing, Jones admitted that his father had passed away in September of 2006 and Jones had been stealing his father’s Social Security since that time.

This is one of several fraud prosecutions on behalf of the Social Security Administration. On July 1, 2014, United States Attorney Wigginton said: “These cases are yet additional examples of the wide-spread fraud that plagues both state and federal programs that are in place to help those in our society who need that help the most. My office will continue to stand beside both federal and state agencies in taking every step necessary to find and prosecute those who steal from, and continue to defraud these vital programs. This is a theft from not only the needy, but from all of us.”

The investigation was conducted by the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General. The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney John Constance and Assistant United States Attorney Michael Hallock.