Nevada man accused of thieving over $225K from dead wife's social security benefits
Prosecutors say the payments continued for years as he ignored multiple attempts by the Social Security Administration to contact him.
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A Nevada man is accused of cashing in on his late wife’s Social Security benefits for a decade after her death.
The Nassau County District Attorney says 56-year-old Lawrence Nadien pleaded not guilty to grand larceny charges after allegedly collecting more than $225,000 in disability benefits that continued to be deposited into a shared bank account following his wife’s death in August 2014.
According to investigators, Nadien not only knew about the death, but was listed as the informant on the death certificate and failed to report it.
Instead, prosecutors allege he allowed the monthly payments of $2,195 to keep rolling in while connected to an address in Wantagh and regularly transferring the money into another account for personal use.
Prosecutors say the payments continued for years as he ignored multiple attempts by the Social Security Administration to contact him.
The benefits were cut off in 2024, after officials flagged the case through an initiative aimed at identifying deceased recipients who were still listed as active.
In total, prosecutors say Nadien collected $227,258 he was not entitled to.
The district attorney says the allegations were referred to the Nassau County DA’s Office by the Social Security Administration’s Office of Inspector General in February.
Nadien was arrested in Nevada in May and extradited to Nassau County on Thursday.
He was released without bail and is expected back in court on June 25 and faces five to 15 years if convicted.
