San Jose resident Donald Laurence Jason-White, 80, is headed to federal prison for two years after admitting to a decade-long scheme that saw him steal a dead man’s identity to rip off the U.S. government for more than a quarter-million dollars. Jason-White was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Beth Labson Freeman, who handed down the 24-month term for crimes including passport fraud, mail fraud, and wire fraud.
According to court documents, Jason-White first obtained a certified copy of a deceased person’s birth certificate around 1992. He then waited over a decade before activating the stolen identity, using it between 2005 and 2015 to apply for a U.S. passport, Social Security benefits, and federally subsidized housing through HUD’s Section 8 program. Each application was a lie, each signature a fraud, and every dollar received—$250,000 in cash and benefits—stolen from the system.
In November 2017, Jason-White pleaded guilty to one count each of passport fraud under 18 U.S.C. § 1542, wire fraud under § 1343, and mail fraud under § 1341. The charges stemmed from a May 5, 2016, indictment that originally included aggravated identity theft, social security fraud, making false statements, five counts of wire fraud, and six counts of mail fraud. Prosecutors dropped the bulk of the charges as part of the plea agreement, but the damage was already documented.
Federal investigators say Jason-White didn’t just live off the fraud—he weaponized bureaucracy. By submitting forged documents and exploiting gaps in federal oversight, he maintained the false identity for years, collecting housing and government payouts while the real victim remained buried and forgotten. The U.S. State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS), HUD’s Office of Inspector General, and the Social Security Administration’s OIG jointly unraveled the scheme after red flags emerged in benefit disbursements.
In addition to prison, Judge Freeman imposed a five-year period of supervised release and ordered Jason-White to pay $274,765.49 in restitution. The sentence will begin April 4, 2018, giving the 80-year-old a short window before reporting to federal custody. Authorities made no mention of whether health or age influenced the sentencing decision, but the message is clear: fraud against public trust carries a price, no matter how long it takes to collect.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Simeon, with assistance from Ryka Barghi. Acting U.S. Attorney Alex G. Tse and DSS Special Agent in Charge Matthew Perlman emphasized the collaboration between agencies as key to holding Jason-White accountable. ‘Identity theft isn’t victimless,’ said Perlman. ‘This was a calculated betrayal of federal systems meant to help real people in need.’
Related Federal Cases
- Tax Fixer Gets 18 Months for $1.2M Fraud Scheme · Alaska
- San Jose’s Omar Gonzalez Given 14-Year Sentence for Meth Trafficking · California
- Clarence Hicks Indicted in Identity Fraud Tax Scam · Alabama
- Remon Daniel Gets 41 Months for $2M Produce Fraud · Texas
- Sacramento Con Man Gets 4+ Years for $1.1M Tax Heist · California
Key Facts
- State: California
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
🔒 Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
Browse More
