U.S. Attorney: Former Long Branch Official Collected Dead Wife's Disability Benefits, Social Security For Years

A former Long Branch City Councilman helped himself to his late wife's disability and Social Security payments for more than four years after she had died, according to U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman.

By the time the thefts were discovered - Brian Unger - who now lives in Puerto Rico - had used his late wife's bank account on many occasions and withdrew a total of $82,854 in benefits that had been distributed to his wife's bank account by direct deposit, Fishman said.

Unger pleaded guilty recently before U.S. District Judge Freda L. Wolfson in Trenton to one count of theft of government money.

He also said he did not inform the government of her death because he wanted to continue collecting her disability benefits, which were converted to Social Security benefits in May of 2013, when she would turned 65, because he knew the benefits would stop if he did so, Fishman said.

His wife applied for benefits on Jan. 4, 2008. She died on June 5, 2009.

"The SSA was not notified of her death and continued electronically depositing Disability Insurance Benefits into her bank account through June 2013, whereupon those benefits were converted into Retirement Insurance Benefits which were deposited electronically into her bank account from July 2013 through in or about September 2013," Fishman said.

Unger faces a maximum of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. His sentencing is slated for Jan. 18, 2017.

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