A man originally from Monmouth County, New Jersey has admitted to collecting social security benefits that were meant to be paid to his wife for more than four years after she died. The wife was awarded social security benefits due to an illness that prevented her from working. The Social Security Administration for Disability Insurance Benefits is a program in place to help individuals who suffer from severe physical or mental impairments to replace a portion of their lost earnings. When the wife was approved for the program, the social security checks began to be directly deposited into her bank account. She died in 2009, but her husband failed to notify the Social Security Administration. From 2009 to 2013, he collected over $82,000 in social security benefits that he did not deserve. He admitted that he did not report his wife's death because he wanted to continue receiving disability benefits. He is being charged with one count of theft of government money, which could carry a sentence of up to ten years in prison and a fine of $250,000.