Two Georgetown Men Plead Guilty To Social Security Fraud

BOSTON - Two Georgetown men pleaded guilty today to defrauding the Social Security Administration of $105,158.

Charles Flynn, 35, and Steven Grondell, 44, pleaded guilty to theft of public money. In November 2013, they were charged in a felony Information. Sentencing is scheduled for March 18, 2014.

Flynn began receiving Social Security disability benefits in 2004. In 2008, however, while still collecting disability benefits, Flynn began working at the iParty store in Peabody under the identity of his partner, Steven Grondell. Flynn did not report this work to Social Security. In fact, in a benefits review in November 2012, he falsely stated that he had not worked since about 2003. Flynn’s income from iParty, which totaled about $30,000 to $40,000 per year, would have made him ineligible to receive disability benefits. Grondell aided and abetted this scheme by allowing Flynn to use his identity to work at iParty and by helping to cover up the fraud by claiming the iParty income on his own tax returns.

United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz; Scott Antolik, Special Agent in Charge of the Office of Inspector General, Social Security Administration, Office of Investigations – Boston Field Division; and Bruce M. Foucart, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations in Boston, made the announcement today. The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Timothy Landry of Ortiz’s Major Crimes Unit.