Former New Hampshire Man Pleads Guilty To Making A False Statement To Commit Social Security Fraud

          CONCORD, N.H. – Arthur Nunes, III, 41, formerly of Dover, New Hampshire, pleaded guilty today in federal court to making a false statement in order to obtain Social Security benefits, announced Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley.

          According to court documents and statements made at today’s hearing, in February of 2012, Nunes submitted an application for Child’s Insurance Benefits to the Social Security Administration on behalf of his two children based on the earnings record of their mother, who had passed away in January of 2012.  On the application, he indicated that the children resided with him.  The application was approved and Nunes, as the children’s representative payee, began receiving monthly benefits in March of 2012.  As their representative payee, Nunes was responsible for using the benefits he received on behalf of his children for their current needs, such as food, clothing, housing, and medical care.  In a 2014 report filed with the Social Security Administration, Nunes maintained that the children resided with him and that he used the benefits for the children’s care and support. 

          An investigation revealed that the children had lived with a relative after their mother passed away and the children had not lived with Nunes at any time after their mother’s death.  The investigation also showed that Nunes had not used any of the benefits to support the children.  The defendant’s concealment of the true residency of the children and his failure to use the benefits for their needs caused him to get $36,526 in Child’s Insurance Benefits payments that he was not entitled to receive.

          Nunes is scheduled to be sentenced on February 2, 2018.    

          The case was investigated by the by the Social Security Administration’s Office of the Inspector General, and prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Karen Burzycki.

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