Baltimore, Maryland – In a stunning display of fraud and deception, 74-year-old John Wharton has been sentenced to one year and a day in prison for embezzling over $200,000 in Social Security benefits over an 18-year period. The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge Ellen L. Hollander.
Wharton, along with his wife Joeann, concocted a web of lies to fraudulently collect disability and survivor’s benefits on behalf of their son and granddaughters. The scheme involved false claims of separation, forged signatures, and the concealment of work activities, all aimed at siphoning off hard-earned public funds.
According to court documents, Joeann Wharton received over $106,613 in disability benefits by falsely stating she was separated from her husband. She also fraudulently collected over $36,000 as a representative payee for their son, who never benefited from the funds due to his parents’ concealment.
Things escalated further when Joeann applied for and received Title II benefits on her son’s behalf, totaling at least $15,121. The couple also manipulated survivor’s benefits for two granddaughters, amassing over $50,152 between 2009 and 2012, while providing little to no support for the children.
Despite Wharton’s admission of guilt, his actions have caused significant harm to the Social Security system and the intended beneficiaries. The sentence imposed reflects the severity of the crime, with Judge Hollander ordering Wharton to forfeit $172,731 in restitution.
The case was prosecuted by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein, supported by Special Agents from the Social Security Administration and the Department of Health and Human Services. Wharton’s sentence includes three years of supervised release upon his release from prison.
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Key Facts
- State: Maryland
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|White Collar Crime|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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