Shrewsbury Man Sentenced For Social Security Fraud

BOSTON - A Shrewsbury man was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Worcester today for taking $57,948 in Social Security payments to which he was not entitled.

George Bergstrom, 60, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman to one year of probation and was ordered to pay $57,948 in restitution to the Social Security Administration, all of which he paid today. In May 2014, Bergstrom pleaded guilty to theft of public money.

In 2009, Bergstrom’s mother died, but her Social Security payments continued to be directly deposited into a joint bank account she held with Bergstrom. From 2009 to 2013, Bergstrom continued to receive and spend his deceased mother’s benefits of more than $1,100 per month. The payments should have ceased upon the death of Bergstrom’s mother and he was not entitled to receive this money.

United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz and Scott Antolik, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations – Boston Field Division, made the announcement today. The case was prosecuted by Timothy Landry of Ortiz’s Major Crimes Unit.