Nevada Man Indicted for Theft of More Than $225K of Deceased Wife’s Social Security Benefits
District Attorney, Nassau County, New York
Nassau County District Attorney Anne T. Donnelly announced that a Nevada man was indicted on grand larceny charges for allegedly stealing more than $225,000 in Social Security Administration disability benefits erroneously issued to his deceased wife after her death in 2014.
Lawrence Nadien, 56, was arraigned before Judge Colin O’ Donnell on one count of Grand Larceny in the Second Degree (a C felony). The defendant pleaded not guilty and was released on his own recognizance. Nadien is due back in court on June 25, 2026. He faces up to 5 to 15 years in prison if convicted.
“For a decade, this defendant allegedly continued to collect hundreds of thousands of dollars in benefits issued to his wife after her death,” said DA Donnelly. “Handling the death of a spouse is an incredibly difficult and painful process, but this defendant allegedly ignored multiple attempts by the Social Security Administration to contact him about the erroneous payments. The health of our social safety net is dependent on the honesty of individuals participating in these programs, and my office will pursue criminal charges when there is evidence of theft that impacts these vulnerable populations.”
“As alleged, the defendant failed to report his wife’s death and continued to receive benefits issued in her name for years for his own personal use, causing a significant loss to the Social Security program,” said Amy Connelly, Special Agent-in-Charge, Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General (SSA OIG), Boston–New York Field Division. “Timely reporting of the death of a Social Security beneficiary is essential to protecting the integrity of Social Security programs and safeguarding taxpayer funds. SSA OIG remains committed to investigating those who exploit these programs for personal gain.”
DA Donnelly said, in February 2026, the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General (“SSAOIG”) referred allegations of theft of SSA Title II Disability Insurance Benefits (“DIB”) issued for the benefit of Donna Spivak to NCDA.
The investigation arose out of an initiative that seeks to identify potentially deceased SSA beneficiaries in current or suspended pay status whose deaths were not reported to the SSA.
The investigation revealed that Donna Spivak, wife of defendant Lawrence Nadien, died on August 24, 2014, in the Bronx while she was in current pay status with SSA for disability benefits.
Defendant Nadien was listed as the informant on his wife’s death certificate.
Nadien’s deceased wife was receiving $2,195 per month via direct deposit into a TD Bank checking account, which was jointly held by Donna Spivak Nadien and Lawrence Nadien.
The last address of record with SSA for the benefits was on Duckpond Dr. N. in Wantagh.
Bank records obtained during the course of the investigation revealed that the defendant allegedly regularly withdrew and transferred the monthly SSA payments to another TD Bank checking account for his personal use.
Between August 24, 2014, and October 21, 2024, when SSAOIG requested the benefits be terminated, the defendant allegedly fraudulently received approximately $227,258 in SSA benefits to which he was not entitled.
The defendant was arrested in Nevada on May 22, 2026, by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department and extradited to Nassau County on June 11, 2026, by the Nassau County Police Department’s Fugitive Squad.
NCDA thanks the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General for their partnership in this prosecution.
The case is being prosecuted by Senior Investigative Counsel Sara Schwartz of the Major Financial Frauds Bureau under the supervision of Bureau Chief Maureen McCormack and under the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney for the Investigations Division Nicholas Mauro. The defendant is represented by Justin Feinman, Esq.
The charges are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless found guilty.