Former Social Security Administration Employee Sentenced for Accepting a Bribe

BOSTON - A former Social Security Administration (SSA) employee was sentenced today in federal court in Worcester for bribery.

Julio Klapper, 40, of Worcester, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman to 15 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution of $70,337 and forfeiture of $17,800. In June 2017, Klapper pleaded guilty to one count of bribery for accepting a payment in return for submitting a fraudulent claim for payment to the SSA on behalf of a beneficiary. 

Between Aug. 30, 2016, and Sept. 27, 2016, Klapper used his position with SSA to submit a request for release of Supplemental Security Income Disabled Child (SSIDC) funds by falsely claiming that the person representing the child was purchasing a car for the benefit of the SSIDC beneficiary, even though Klapper knew that the child’s representative was not intending to purchase a car with the SSIDC funds.  Klapper provided false documentation to the SSA in support of the submitted claim.  In exchange for Klapper’s submission of the false claim and documentation, Klapper received $2,000 from the child’s representative.

Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb; Scott Antolik, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Division; and Matthew Etre, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations, made the announcement today.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle L. Dineen Jerrett of Weinreb’s Worcester Branch Office prosecuted the case.