United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Timothy Gritman, 52, of Brodheadsville, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court Tuesday to wire fraud and Social Security fraud for concealing the death of his father for four years in order to steal more than $200,000.

Gritman lied about his father Ralph’s death to steal his Social Security benefits and New York state pension totaling $204,985.

Gritman’s father was 79 years old and in poor health in 2016 when he was last seen alive by relatives at Gritman’s Pennsylvania residence.

In the summer of 2017, Gritman relocated to Wyoming with his father. After that, Gritman posed as his dead father numerous times to continue receiving his father’s Social Security benefit and his New York state pension, including appearing to use make-up to whiten his hair and eyebrows.

Gritman posed as his father, obtaining a Pennsylvania identification card in his father’s name from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.

Gritman went to the Driver’s License Center with whitened hair and eyebrows. He was then photographed as his father, Ralph Gritman.

A photo of Timothy Gritman, disguised as an older man holding the fake Pennsylvania identification card, was sent to verify if the father was alive.

According to Medicare records, Ralph Gritman’s health insurance was last used in September 2017 for an emergency visit to a Wyoming hospital. After that, his Medicare health benefits were not used again, but he was not reported dead.

Ralph Gritman’s Social Security and New York pension benefits continued to be paid to a joint account with Timothy Gritman.

From approximately October 2017 to October 2022, Timothy Gritman took Social Security and pension benefits intended for his father for his own personal use. While law enforcement has determined that Ralph Gritman is dead, his remains have not been found.

“Mr. Gritman’s admission holds him accountable for the intentional concealment of his father’s death to steal government funds for his personal gain,” said Gail S. Ennis, Inspector General for the Social Security Administration. “I thank each agency for their investigative efforts, as well as the NYS Comptroller’s office for their work in this investigation, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for prosecuting this case.”

Gritman faces a maximum possible sentence of 285 years in jail, a three years of supervised release, a $3.75 million fine, and a $1,500 special assessment.

The case was investigated by the FBI, Social Security Administration-Office of the Inspector General, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the New York state Office of the Comptroller and is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Curran.