An Oneonta man is to spend five years on probation for stealing Social Security survivor’s benefits following his wife’s death. 

Photo: Bob Joseph/WNBF News (file)
Photo: Bob Joseph/WNBF News (file)
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The U.S. Attorney’s office says 35-year-old Jason Wentworth was sentenced January 2 in Federal Court in Binghamton after pleading guilty in August to three counts of theft of government property, one count representative payee fraud and two counts of making false statements.

Prosecutors say following his wife’s death, Wentworth applied for and received survivor’s benefits on his son’s and his own behalf and continued to receive and keep those benefits even after the son’s grandparents took over as primary caregivers.  Wentworth was no longer entitled to collect benefits on his own behalf after he stopped serving as primary caregiver for his son.

In addition to probation, Wentworth has been ordered to pay $27,525 dollars in restitution to the government and $25,035 in restitution to his son.  He was also ordered to forfeit $3,822.

 

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