A Tioga County man has been charged with Supplemental Security Income (SSI) fraud and aggravated identity theft, federal authorities announced Wednesday.
The indictment alleges that Richard Smith, age unknown, of Owego, New York, used the name, Social Security number, and date of birth of another person to apply for and obtain SSI benefits to which he was not entitled, beginning in 1999 and continuing through the present.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and John F. Grasso, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, New York Field Office.
Smith was arraigned on the indictment in United States District Court in Syracuse, New York and was ordered detained pending trial to be scheduled at a later date.
If convicted of SSI fraud, Smith faces a maximum term of imprisonment of five years, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised of up to three years. If convicted of aggravated identity theft, Smith faces a mandatory minimum sentence of two years in federal prison.
A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
The charges in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
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Key Facts
- State: New York
- Category: White Collar Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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