Philly Man Sentenced To Prison After Decades Of Cashing Dead Mom's Social Security Benefits

A Philadelphia man was ordered to serve prison time for stealing government funds by stealing social security money intended for his deceased mother.

Kenneth Duffy, 64, was sentenced to serve one year and one day in state prison and was also ordered to pay restitution for the funds he pleaded guilty to taking, according to the Eastern District of Pennsylvania US Attorney's Office.

Duffy accrued $235,995 meant for his mother, who has been dead for 20 years, from 1997 to 2016, the attorney's office said.

Over that period, Duffy kept his mother's name on the bank account where the retirement benefits were deposited and paid bills in his mother’s name, according to the attorney's office.

Duffy later lied to the Social Security Administration when the agency inquired about his mother receiving her benefits, saying she was alive and living with Duffy's sister, the attorney's office said.

Duffy will be subject to three years of supervised release after he is let out of prison, the attorney's office said.

The case was investigated by the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, and is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Amanda R. Reinitz.

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