Somerset County man admits stealing more than $600K in federal benefits meant for his deceased father
SOMERSET, NJ (Somerset County) – A Somerset County man uesday admitted stealing more than $600,000 in federal benefits that were intended for his deceased father, according to U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger.
Steven Jones, 66, of Somerset, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Robert Kirsch in Trenton federal court today to an information charging him with conversion of federal funds.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court, Steven Jones’ father received several federal retirement benefits before he died in October 2004. After Jones’s father died, Jones intentionally falsified his father’s death certificate so that the federal agencies would continue to issue the retirement benefits. On two occasions, Jones had a person impersonate his father to a federal agency so that the agency would think his father was still alive and continue payments. The investigation revealed that Jones unlawfully collected these payments for nearly 20 years, from October 2004 to December 2023.
The charge of conversion of government funds carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
Sentencing is scheduled for April 21, 2025.
