Lynn Man Pleads Guilty to Receiving Stolen Government Money and Making False Statements
U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Massachusetts
BOSTON – A Lynn man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to receiving stolen Social Security benefits and making false statements.
James C. Burdulis, 57, pleaded guilty to one count of receiving stolen government money or property and one count of false statements. U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs scheduled sentencing for July 8, 2026. Burdulis was charged on March 26, 2026.
Burdulis received approximately $63,959 in stolen Social Security benefits from June 2019 through June 2025 that were intended for a beneficiary that had died. Prior to the beneficiary’s death in May 2019, Burdulis had been appointed as the beneficiary’s representative payee to manage their Social Security benefits and provide regular accountings to the Social Security Administration (SSA).
Between June 2020 and June 2024, Burdulis submitted five fraudulent representative payee reports to the SSA under penalty of perjury in which he stated that he spent money received from the SSA on behalf of the deceased beneficiary after their death. Further, Burdulis submitted a fraudulent verification form to the SSA in September 2020 stating that the deceased beneficiary continued to live at the same location.
The charge of receiving stolen government money or property provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. The charge of false statements provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Amy Connelly, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Division made the announcement. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Nagelberg of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.