ORLANDO, FL – Robert Butzlaff (57), a resident of Volusia County, was handed a five-year-and-10-month federal prison sentence by U.S. District Judge Paul G. Byron for his fraudulent use of an unauthorized access device and aggravated identity theft.
The court also ordered Butzlaff to fork over $57,296 in restitution and another $57,296 in forfeiture as proceeds from the fraud. The sentence followed a jury’s guilty verdict on September 21, 2022.
Butzlaff stood accused of using his missing father’s identity after the elder Butzlaff was reported missing in October 2014 and never found. Despite not being reported to the Social Security Administration (SSA), payments continued to be made into a joint account held with Robert. After opening a new bank account under his father’s name, the younger Butzlaff redirected the SSA benefits intended for his father to this new account.
He then obtained and used two debit cards issued in his father’s name to withdraw funds from the SSA deposits. The stolen Social Security funds were funneled into personal expenses by Butzlaff.
Gail S. Ennis, Inspector General for the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General, commented on the severity of the crime: “This sentence holds Mr. Butzlaff accountable for intentionally misusing Social Security benefits for his own gain. We will continue to pursue perpetrators of Social Security fraud.”
The investigation into Butzlaff was conducted by the SSA Office of the Inspector General and the Ormond Beach Police Department, with prosecution led by Special Assistant United States Attorney Suzanne Huyler.
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Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes|White Collar Crime|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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