Lawyer Ordered to Re-Pay Over $100,00 to Social Security Administration, Reports U.S. Attorney

28 April 2006

A former Gloucester resident was sentenced today in federal court for wire fraud and theft of government funds.

United States Attorney Michael J. Sullivan and Leo J. Sullivan, Special Agent in Charge of the Boston Field Division of the Office of Investigations, Office of Inspector General, Social Security Administration, announced today that ROBERT C. GERRARD, age 68, formerly of Gloucester and currently residing at Sheepscott Road, Newcastle, Maine, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Rya W. Zobel to three years' probation. GERRARD was also ordered to pay $116,059.00 in restitution to the Social Security Administration. GERRARD pleaded guilty to three counts of wire fraud and one count of theft of government funds on February 1, 2006.

At the earlier plea hearing, the prosecutor told the Court that had the case proceeded to trial the Government's evidence would have proven that prior to 1987, GERRARD'S mother, Mary, was the recipient of Social Security retirement benefits. When she died in October of 1987, Social Security was not notified and payments continued to be made and deposited into a bank account at Watertown Savings Bank. GERRARD was a co-signator on that account. After his mother's death, GERRARD updated her information with Social Security and the bank to make it appear that she had moved. However, one address was a former residence of GERRARD'S and the second address was GERRARD'S place of employment. During the time period that the benefits were paid, GERRARD received over $116,000 in government funds to which he was not entitled.

The case was investigated by the Office of Inspector General, Social Security Administration. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nadine Pellegrini, Deputy Chief of Sullivan's Major Crimes Unit.

Source: prnewswire

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