Robert Wozniak, 48, of Vinton, Va., has pleaded guilty to stealing Social Security funds meant for his deceased grandmother, Betty Wozniak, whom he concealed in a freezer and later a barrel for months after her death. The gruesome fraud spanned from July 2015 through April 2016, during which Wozniak continued to collect retirement benefit payments from the Social Security Administration despite knowing his grandmother had died.
Wozniak was originally charged with one count of theft of government property and one count of social security fraud. Today, in federal court in Roanoke, Virginia, he entered a guilty plea to those charges, admitting he intentionally hid Betty Wozniak’s death to maintain access to her monthly benefits. The funds were deposited directly into an account under his control, which he used for personal expenses.
According to court documents, Wozniak stored his grandmother’s body in a freezer immediately after her death. When space became an issue, he transferred the remains to a sealed barrel, which he kept on the property he rented in Bedford County. The deception unraveled when his landlord noticed a suspicious barrel and an unusual hole on the premises, prompting her to alert authorities.
Investigators from the Department of Health and Human Services, the Social Security Administration, the Bedford County Sheriff’s Office, and the Virginia Medical Center launched a joint probe that uncovered the concealed remains and confirmed the timeline of fraud. Forensic analysis verified the identity of the body and established the cause and time of death, directly contradicting Wozniak’s continued receipt of benefits.
“Programs like Social Security are meant to be social safety nets for those in need,” said United States Attorney John P. Fishwick Jr. “The Defendant fraudulently obtained his grandmother’s social security benefits and this prosecution brings him to justice for this theft.”
Assistant United States Attorney Charlene R. Day is prosecuting the case. Wozniak now faces up to 10 years in federal prison and must pay full restitution to the Social Security Administration. Sentencing is scheduled for a later date.
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Key Facts
- State: Virginia
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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