Florida Man Indicted for Fraudulently Collecting Deceased Father's Social Security Benefits

From the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Florida:

A Palm Beach County man is charged with fraudulently using his father’s identity to collect unauthorized Social Security and pension retirement benefits, knowing of his father’s unreported murder. 

Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Sheriff Ric. L. Bradshaw, Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office (PBSO), Margaret Moore-Jackson, Special Agent in Charge, Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General (SSA-OIG), Nadine Gurley, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of the Inspector General (HUD-OIG), and Karen Citizen-Wilcox, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General (USDA-OIG), made the announcement. 

Jason Henry Davis, 37, of West Palm Beach, Florida, was charged with eight counts of wire fraud; one count of access device fraud; 12 counts of aggravated identity theft; and two counts of making a false statement to a government agency. The defendant had his initial appearance earlier today, January 20, 2016 before the Honorable United States Magistrate Judge William Matthewman, in West Palm Beach.  He is scheduled for a pretrial detention hearing on January 27, 2016. 

As alleged in the indictment, on April 18, 2013, the skeletal remains of Henry T. Davis, Jr., the father of defendant Jason Davis, were found in the backyard of the Lantana, Florida residence where Henry Davis had lived with the defendant and his ex-wife, Jason Davis’ mother.  The indictment alleges that Jason Davis was present when his father was murdered, as early as 2008, and failed to report his death to the authorities.  Jason Davis then assumed his father’s identity in order to collect approximately $1,500 in monthly Social Security and HUD-funded pension retirement benefits.  The defendant also failed to report his receipt of these funds to the Department of Agriculture in order to fraudulently obtain food assistance benefits.  As a result of his fraudulent scheme, the defendant collected approximately $120,000 in federally-funded benefits which he was not personally qualified to receive.

Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office Homicide Unit and Public Assistance Fraud Task Force, SSA-OIG, HUD-OIG, and USDA-OIG.  This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carolyn Bell and Adam McMichael.

An indictment is only an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

A Palm Beach County man is charged with fraudulently using his father’s identity to collect unauthorized Social Security and pension retirement benefits, knowing of his father’s unreported murder. 

Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Sheriff Ric. L. Bradshaw, Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office (PBSO), Margaret Moore-Jackson, Special Agent in Charge, Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General (SSA-OIG), Nadine Gurley, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of the Inspector General (HUD-OIG), and Karen Citizen-Wilcox, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General (USDA-OIG), made the announcement. 

Jason Henry Davis, 37, of West Palm Beach, Florida, was charged with eight counts of wire fraud; one count of access device fraud; 12 counts of aggravated identity theft; and two counts of making a false statement to a government agency. The defendant had his initial appearance earlier today, January 20, 2016 before the Honorable United States Magistrate Judge William Matthewman, in West Palm Beach.  He is scheduled for a pretrial detention hearing on January 27, 2016. 

As alleged in the indictment, on April 18, 2013, the skeletal remains of Henry T. Davis, Jr., the father of defendant Jason Davis, were found in the backyard of the Lantana, Florida residence where Henry Davis had lived with the defendant and his ex-wife, Jason Davis’ mother.  The indictment alleges that Jason Davis was present when his father was murdered, as early as 2008, and failed to report his death to the authorities.  Jason Davis then assumed his father’s identity in order to collect approximately $1,500 in monthly Social Security and HUD-funded pension retirement benefits.  The defendant also failed to report his receipt of these funds to the Department of Agriculture in order to fraudulently obtain food assistance benefits.  As a result of his fraudulent scheme, the defendant collected approximately $120,000 in federally-funded benefits which he was not personally qualified to receive.

Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office Homicide Unit and Public Assistance Fraud Task Force, SSA-OIG, HUD-OIG, and USDA-OIG.  This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carolyn Bell and Adam McMichael.

An indictment is only an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.