Janet Carroll says there was always some reason why her Uncle Mike could not come to the phone. He was sick. He was eating. He was heading out of town. In his 80s and geographically removed from many family members, Mike Carroll’s absence did not raise eyebrows. After all, Carroll’s daughter Lynn Ritter and son-in-law Kirk Ritter lived with him as his caretakers and said all was good. Good for Ritter and Ritter. Not so good for Uncle Mike.
Turns out Uncle Mike passed away and Federal prosecutors are accusing Ritter and Ritter of purposely concealing Carroll’s death. Why? Well to collect his Social Security benefits. Authorities say Carroll died in 2016, based on a digital record from his pacemaker. His death was not reported by Ritter and Ritter until October 23,2022, when they heard there was a search warrant by the police.
That search warrant turned into a suspicious death investigation when when police found Carroll’s mummified body on a bed. Turns out Carroll died of natural causes. No suspicious death here. Only fraudulent activity by a daughter and her husband. Over the course of six years, there were monthly deposits made to his bank account from Carroll’s pension and the Social Security Administration amounting to $216,067. Ritter and Ritter cashed those checks and transferred those funds to their own accounts for their own personal benefit.
Lynn and Kirk each face one count of wire fraud and two counts of theft of government funds.
Great job by the Johnson County Police Department.
Today’s Fraud of The Day is based on article “Johnson County couple lived with dead parent for 6 years, stole benefits” published by The Kansas City Star on January 20, 2022
Federal prosecutors are accusing a Johnson County couple of collecting more than $215,000 in retirement benefits on behalf of a dead relative whose body was hidden in their house for six years. The husband and wife lived with Mike Carroll, 81, a retired telecommunications employee who began receiving benefits from his pension and the Social Security Administration in 2008.
Authorities say Carroll died in 2016, based on a digital record from his pacemaker, but that information was not reported. Meanwhile, prosecutors say monetary benefits continued to be deposited into Carroll’s bank account and spent after his death. Joplin releases body camera footage from deadly standoff.
