Concord man cashed dead grandmother's Social Security checks, authorities allege

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- His grandmother died in 2008, but the social security checks came rolling into her bank account.


Authorities say Anthony Smith used that money — both to cover her funeral and to pay off his own bills.
Smith, 44, of the 200 block of Oder Avenue in Concord, withdrew some $13,670 from his mom’s bank account in the nearly 18 months following his death, authorities allege.
He was arrested Thursday morning, following a probe by District Attorney Daniel Donovan’s detective squad and investigators from the Social Security Administration, and charged with third-degree grand larceny, a felony.
"Earlier this week it was announced that Social Security will, for the first time, pay out more than it takes in. This type of alleged fraud places a great strain on the system," Donovan said Thursday. "That makes it all the more important to get the message out -- this is a crime. You will be arrested and prosecuted."
According to court papers, Smith’s grandmother, Mary Irene Moore, died at age 88 on May 9, 2008.
The Social Secuity Administration kept making direct deposits, though, to the tune of $1,022 a month.
Smith made several withdrawals since then, up until Nov. 2009, authorities allege. And ATM surveillance photos confirmed that he was the one taking out the cash, according to court papers.
When confronted by detectives, Smith admitted to taking out the money, saying that he used it to pay for her funeral, and later when he had fallen behind on his own bills, authorities said.
He also agreed to pay restitution, according to a law enforcement source.
"I am sorry this happened. It was a stupid mistake, and I hope to make it right," he told detectives, the source said.
Smith is expected to be arraigned today in Stapleton Criminal Court.