Marion Sobkowiak, Theft of Government Funds, Ohio 2023

THEFT OF GOVERNMENT FUNDS IN OHIO

A Cleveland man has been indicted for cashing nearly $175,000 in Social Security checks meant for his deceased mother, authorities said.

Marion Sobkowiak, 66, was indicted on charges of theft of government funds, according to U.S. Attorney Steven M. Dettelbach.

The indictment alleges that Sobkowiak fraudulently cashed his mother's Social Security widow's benefits checks from January 1998 until April 2014, taking a total of $175,477 in benefits to which he was not entitled.

The Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation, which is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Miranda E. Dugi and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Lisa J. Sanniti.

If convicted, the court will determine Sobkowiak's sentence after a review of factors unique to this case, including his prior criminal record, his role in the offense, and the characteristics of the violation.

The indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Sobkowiak is entitled to a fair trial, in which the government will have the burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndoh/pr/cleveland-man-indicted-cashing-175000-worth-dead-mothers-social-security-checks