MILAN, BRADFORD COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — A Bradford County man who allegedly withdrew money from his deceased mother's bank account pleaded guilty to charges of wire fraud.
76-year-old Richard Burke of Milan withdrew $350,643.23 of his deceased mother's Social Security, Retirement, Survivors, and Disability (RSDI) benefits and Veterans Affairs death pension benefit payments from her bank account, according to a release from the Department of Justice.
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Burke used his deceased mother's bank card to make regular cash withdrawals from her accounts over the years, officials say. The withdrawals took place starting in April 2005 after his mother's death and continued through March 2022.
The release states that no other individual was entitled to the benefits designated to her.
The Department of Justice says that Burke never notified the Social Security Administration or the Department of Veterans Affairs that his mother had died.
Burke faces a maximum sentence of 20 years' imprisonment and a fine. His sentencing is not yet scheduled.
