HARRISBURG, Pa. – A federal grand jury in Harrisburg has indicted a Steelton man on criminal charges of fraudulently obtaining Social Security benefits.
According to the United States Attorney’s Office, Mohammed Rizk, 53, is charged with theft and Social Security fraud. Those charges stem from Rizk obtaining approximately $67,000 in benefits under the Social Security Administration’s Retirement and Survivor’s Insurance (RSI) Program between 2014 and 2016 by falsely representing that the minor children of his deceased spouse were living with him when in fact they were living elsewhere.
Allegedly, Rizk, as representative payee, took the funds that the children were entitled to and converted them to his own use. The government is also seeking forfeiture of the funds obtained through the fraud.
Rizk, if convicted faces a maximum penalty under federal law of 10 years imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine.
