CHICAGO – A Maywood man has been charged in federal court with fraudulently obtaining Social Security benefits in the name of his late father.
Richard Young Jr., 61, has been indicted on four counts of band fraud and one count of embezzlement of government funds, according to the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois.
According to the indictment, Young’s father died in 2006. Seven years later, Young applied for Social Security benefits in the name of his deceased father.
The Social Security Administration, unaware that Young’s father had died, approved the application and began issuing benefits, which were eventually paid through direct deposit into a bank account in Young’s father’s name.
According to the indictment, Young accessed more than $178,600 from the account between 2015 and 2021 and spent the money at casinos, restaurants, gas stations, retail stores, and other locations.
Young pleaded not guilty at his arraignment on Friday, and a status hearing has been scheduled for July 23 at 1:30 p.m., according to officials.
“The indictment accuses Mr. Young of fraudulently obtaining benefits for years from a critically important retirement program,” said U.S. Attorney Andrew Boutros. “Social Security fraud jeopardizes the very foundation of a program that many millions of hardworking Americans rely on for retirement—and that taxpayers fund with their hard-earned money.
My office will continue to collaborate with law enforcement partners to identify, investigate, and prosecute anyone attempting to fraudulently obtain Social Security or other program benefits.”
