Florida man guilty of stealing dead mom’s benefit checks

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) – A Florida man has pleaded guilty to stealing government money by cashing thousands of dollars in Social Security checks sent to his dead mother.

Federal prosecutors say 53-year-old Michael Cornell of St. Petersburg faces up to 10 years in prison when sentenced by a Tampa federal judge.

Investigators say Cornell’s mother died in February 2010 but the Social Security Administration was not notified of her death until October 2013. Meanwhile Cornell was forging her signature on the monthly checks and had them deposited in his own bank account.

Court records show the total paid out after Cornell’s mother died was more than $44,000. Investigators were able to recover $12,440 from Cornell’s bank account.