Beaver Falls Resident Sentenced for Theft of Social Security Benefits

PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 3 years’ probation plus 7 days intermittent confinement on his conviction of theft of government property, First Assistant United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan imposed the sentence on Nicholas T. Grimes, 31.

According to information presented to the Court, following the death of a Title II Social Security benefits recipient, Grimes began stealing that person’s Social Security retirement benefits, beginning as early as 2014. Grimes stole benefits totaling approximately $216,779 by negotiating the benefits from the deceased’s account through ATM transactions. Grimes has also been ordered to pay the full restitution of $216,779 to the Social Security Administration.

Assistant United States Attorney Gregory C. Melucci prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

First Assistant United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Social Security Administration – Office of the Inspector General and the United States Postal Inspection Service for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Grimes.