LI Man Stole Dead Brother's ID To Keep Working, Get Disability: DA

SHIRLEY, NY — A Shirley man was indicted on 30 counts after he stole the identity of his dead brother, a U.S. Army and Vietnam War veteran, in order to continue working and also collect Social Security disability benefits, Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney said.

Stavros Tsakonis, 61, stole the identity of his half brother Chris Tsakonis, Tierney said..

According to details of the investigation, from February, 2015 to January, 2023, Stavros Tsakonis received more $160,000 in disability benefits, claiming to the U.S. Social Security Administration that he was too disabled to work, Tierney said.

As recently as January 25, he was seen entering the Social Security Administration’s office in Patchogue using the assistance of a walker, Tierney said. After completing a form claiming that he had not worked since February, 1989 and re-affirming he was disabled, Tsakonis was seen walking unaided, without the assistance of any person or device, Tierney said.

A review of Tsakonis' financial records, combined with multiple instances of law enforcement surveillance, revealed he was gainfully employed as a plumber and had earned income as far back as February, 2015, under the name of his deceased half-brother Chris Tsakonis, who died in 2012, Tierney said.

In addition, the investigation revealed that Tsakonis operated a company known as CT Plumbing, which utilized Chris Tsakonis’ assumed personal information, Social Security number, and date of birth, to conceal income Tsakonis earned while still claiming to the Social Security Administration that he was physically unable to work, Tierney said.

He also obtained a New York State driver’s license in his half-brother’s name to open bank accounts that he used to deposit the work income he earned while posing as Chris Tsakonis, Tierney said — and, in addition, he purchased several vehicles which he then registered under Chris Tsakonis’ name, Tierney said.

Law enforcement saw him driving one of the illegally registered vehicles from his house to his current job, Tierney said.

Furthermore, between 2016 and 2022, the Tsakonis used his deceased half-brother Chris Tsakonis’ driver’s license at the Suffolk County Department of Consumer Affairs to apply for and renew a plumbing license that he obtained under Chris Tsakonis’ name, Tierney said.

Tsakonis was indicted on charges including one count of second-degree grand larceny, a felony; 12 counts of first-degree identity theft, a felony; 8 counts of second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument, a felony; three counts of second-degree identity theft, a felony; three counts of first-degree falsifying a business record, a felony; two counts of first-degree offering a false instrument for filing, a felony; and second-degree criminal impersonation, a misdemeanor, Tierney said.

On March 13, Tsakonis was arrested and arraigned on the indictment before Supreme Court
Justice Richard Ambro, Tierney said. He was released on his own recognizance and as per Judge
Ambro’s order, returned to court on March 14 to surrender his passport, Tierney said.

He is due back in court on April 12 and is being represented by the Legal Aid Society.

“This defendant allegedly exploited the death of his half-brother so he could work under his brother’s name and simultaneously claim a full disability under his own given name, Stavros Tsakonis,” said Tierney. “Instead of respecting the memory of his half-brother, this defendant exploited his death to start a plumbing business and purchase vehicles, while lining his own pockets with fraudulently obtained taxpayer funds for a supposed disability.”

“This 8-month-long investigation uncovered this scam artist’s scheme to work under the identity of his deceased veteran brother while obtaining over $160,000 in fraudulent disability benefits,” added Sheriff Errol D. Toulon, Jr.