The Department of Social Security Administration (SSA) knows that family is important whether that family is run by a single parent, is blended, or diverse, or is small or large. For nearly 90 years, SSA has helped families secure financial benefits, tools, and programs to help support millions throughout life’s journey. Yet benefits fluctuate based on individual circumstances, such as income level or circumstances. This can make it difficult for some to do the right thing! Like Afshin Setoodeh who not only failed to notify SSA of his family changes but lied in order to receive benefits his mother wasn’t eligible for. Nor himself!
In 2018, Setoodeh was appointed as the representative payee for his mother, a role that required him to manage and use benefits solely for her care. However, Setoodeh’s mother returned to Iran in 2019, which Setoodeh failed to share with the SSA. He continued to collect her benefits after she left the country and even after her death in 2022. Not only did Setoodeh withhold both developments from federal authorities, throughout the period, but he falsely claimed to SSA officials that his mother remained alive and that the funds were being used appropriately for her welfare.
Bank records revealed that Setoodeh accessed the SSDI funds from his mother’s checking account. He even fraudulently used her personal identity to open several credit card accounts, both before and after her death.
One July 25, 2025, Setoodeh pled guilty to Social Security benefits fraud.
Great job by the Social Security Administration’s Office of the Inspector General.
Today’s Fraud of The Day is based on article “Former FAA engineer in KC pleads guilty to stealing mother’s disability benefits” published by Kansas City Star on July 25, 2025.
A Missouri man who previously worked for the Federal Aviation Administration has pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Missouri announced Thursday. Between 2019 and the end of 2024, Afshin Setoodeh of Blue Springs allegedly stole approximately $55,000 in Social Security Disability benefits from his mother’s checking account, according to a press release.
The 62-year-old, who was a civil engineer for the FAA in Kansas City, became the payee of the benefits in 2018 and was supposed to use them for his mother’s care. Setoodeh failed to notify the Social Security Administration when his mother moved back to Iran in 2019 and never notified them of her death. After she died, he “continued to assert to SSA that his mother was alive and that he was spending the benefits appropriately,” according to the release.
