Monmouth Co. Man Scammed $200K From Vets Affairs, Feds Say

Freehold NJ

22 July, 2021

9:24 AM

Description

MILLSTONE, NJ - A Monmouth County man admitted Wednesday to defrauding the federal Department of Veterans Affairs of more than $200,0000 in survivor's pension benefits over 12 years, federal officials said. Melvin Greenspan, 72, of Perrineville in Millstone, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Brian R. Martinotti in Newark federal court to conversion of government funds. While the Department of Veteran's Affairs provided survivor's pension benefits to Greenspan's mother because of Greenspan's father's prior military service, the benefits - sent via electronic funds transfers into Greenspan's mother's bank account starting in 1971 - were intended only for surviving spouses of military members. Court documents say that, after Greenspan's mother died in 2006, Greenspan did not notify the Department of Veterans Affairs about his mother's death and made withdrawals of the survivor's pension benefits from his mother's bank account between 2006 and 2018, amounting to $201,166. The charge of conversion of government funds carries a maximum sentence of up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest. Sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 22. Acting U.S. Attorney Rachel Honig credited special agents of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Field Office with the investigation.