Man Sentenced For Using Dead Mom's Social Security Money

ATLANTA, GA — A Douglasville man was sentenced to prison on Monday after having pleaded guilty to stealing his dead mother's Social Security benefits, according to the Department of Justice's Northern District of Georgia. Monty Stansell, 66, will serve one year and nine months in prison.

“Stansell stole his deceased mother’s Social Security payments for six years, using the money to pay for his own personal expenses,” said U.S. Attorney Byung J. “BJay” Pak. “Those who steal Social Security benefits threaten the integrity of the program and divert vital resources away from those who need them most.”

According to Pak, the charges and other information presented in court, Stansell's mother died on April 1, 2008. Her Social Security payments continued to deposit into her bank account, which she shared with her son.

He initially claimed to be unaware that the Social Security benefits were being paid and that he never looked at bank statements, but also admitted to spending money out of the account.

Stansell later admitted to having received notice from the Social Security Administration later in 2008 that his mother's benefits were continuing, and failed to notify the administration that she had died.

He stole over $93,872 in Social Security benefits, the Department of Justice said. He was convicted in April 2018, just over 10 years after his mother died.

After his 21-month sentence, Stansell will be on probation for three years and will be required to pay what he stole in restitution.

“The Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General has no higher priority than the investigation and prosecution of those who violate the public’s trust by failing to report Social Security beneficiary deaths and continuing to receive the deceased’s benefits,” said Special Agent-in-Charge Margaret Moore-Jackson in the release.

“I’m grateful that the U.S. Attorney’s Office shares our determination to protect the integrity of the Social Security Administration’s programs for those who rely on them now and into the future.”

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