Ross Twp. Man Pleads Guilty to $304K Benefit Theft

PITTSBURGH – It’s a grim tale of greed and betrayal as 65-year-old Chauncey Clinton from Ross Township stands accused of cashing out $304,853 in his late mother’s Social Security benefits. The man who was supposed to protect his family’s interests instead swindled them out of nearly half-a-million dollars.

Today, the grim reality of Clinton’s treachery was confirmed as he pleaded guilty before United States District Judge Mark R. Hornak to a single count of theft of government money, according to United States Attorney David J. Hickton.

The court heard how from June 1, 1973, to April 3, 2012, Chauncey Clinton, with cold calculation and a disregard for the truth, converted $304,853.00 in Social Security Title II, Old Age, Survivor’s Disability Insurance payments that were due to his mother, Clara Clinton, who had passed away on May 7, 1973. Benefits he knew all along were not his.

Sentencing is set for January 23, 2014, where Judge Hornak will decide the fate of this despicable act. The law offers a harsh penalty, with a maximum sentence of up to ten years in the clink, a $250,000 fine, or both. Clinton currently walks free on a $10,000 unsecured bond as he awaits his comeuppance.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mary McKeen Houghton, and the Social Security Administration’s Office of Inspector General has been instrumental in uncovering this financial chicanery and pursuing justice.