What to Know
- A NJ man who didn't report his great aunt's death to collect nearly $185,000 in Social Security for nearly 20 years is going to jail
- Federal prosecutors say 56-year-old Lance Nelson was sentenced Thursday to a year and a day
- The Perth Amboy man, who plead guilty in January to theft of government fundsm must also pay $184,936 in restitution
A New Jersey man who didn't report his great aunt's death to the government in order to collect nearly $185,000 in Social Security benefits for nearly 20 years is now headed to prison.
Federal prosecutors say 56-year-old Lance Nelson was sentenced Thursday to a year and a day. The Perth Amboy man also must pay $184,936 in restitution.
Nelson had pleaded guilty in January to theft of government funds.
Prosecutors say the Social Security Administration was unaware of Nelson's great aunt's death in 1998 and continued sending monthly benefits to a joint account the woman and Nelson shared. Nelson withdrew money from the account and used it for his personal benefit.
Nelson had been an assistant zoning officer for Perth Amboy for several years.
Copyright AP - Associated Press
