New Hampshire Man Pleads Guilty to Social Security Disability Fraud

From the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of New Hampshire:

CONCORD, N.H. – Craig Luksza, 34, of Chichester, pleaded guilty today in United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire to Social Security Fraud, announced Acting United States Attorney Donald Feith.

In July 2010, Luksza began receiving Social Security disability benefits. Shortly after he applied for benefits in December 2009, however, Luksza returned to work full-time for a construction company. Luksza’s income from this job would have rendered him ineligible to receive disability benefits. Luksza did not report this work activity to the Social Security Administration (SSA) and, in fact, in December 2013, he falsely told SSA that he had not worked since December 2008. In July 2014, Luksza admitted to investigators that he concealed his work activity and income from SSA. As a result of his concealment, Luksza received disability benefits that he would not have received if Social Security had been aware of his actual work activity and income. The government alleges that Luksza fraudulently received $71,180.50 in disability benefits.

“Program benefits fraud is a high enforcement priority for this office and one we are uniquely positioned to prosecute,” Acting U.S. Attorney Feith said. “Many citizens rely on the assistance provided by benefit programs such as Social Security disability benefits to meet their daily needs. Those who cheat the system jeopardize the financial security of their fellow citizens who are legitimately receiving such benefits, and threaten the fiscal stability of the entire program. We will work hard to identify the cheaters, prosecute them, and make sure that they are ordered to repay the benefits they received through fraud.”

Luksza is facing a maximum sentence of five years in prison and is scheduled to be sentenced on September 29, 2015. He was released on conditions pending sentencing.

The case was investigated by the Social Security Administration’s Office of the Inspector General and prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Karen Burzycki.

CONCORD, N.H. – Craig Luksza, 34, of Chichester, pleaded guilty today in United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire to Social Security Fraud, announced Acting United States Attorney Donald Feith.

In July 2010, Luksza began receiving Social Security disability benefits. Shortly after he applied for benefits in December 2009, however, Luksza returned to work full-time for a construction company. Luksza’s income from this job would have rendered him ineligible to receive disability benefits. Luksza did not report this work activity to the Social Security Administration (SSA) and, in fact, in December 2013, he falsely told SSA that he had not worked since December 2008. In July 2014, Luksza admitted to investigators that he concealed his work activity and income from SSA. As a result of his concealment, Luksza received disability benefits that he would not have received if Social Security had been aware of his actual work activity and income. The government alleges that Luksza fraudulently received $71,180.50 in disability benefits.

“Program benefits fraud is a high enforcement priority for this office and one we are uniquely positioned to prosecute,” Acting U.S. Attorney Feith said. “Many citizens rely on the assistance provided by benefit programs such as Social Security disability benefits to meet their daily needs. Those who cheat the system jeopardize the financial security of their fellow citizens who are legitimately receiving such benefits, and threaten the fiscal stability of the entire program. We will work hard to identify the cheaters, prosecute them, and make sure that they are ordered to repay the benefits they received through fraud.”

Luksza is facing a maximum sentence of five years in prison and is scheduled to be sentenced on September 29, 2015. He was released on conditions pending sentencing.

The case was investigated by the Social Security Administration’s Office of the Inspector General and prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Karen Burzycki.