WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – After the bones of a Lantana man were found in the backyard of his home, authorities learned that the man's son had been collecting his father's Social Security and pension retirement benefits, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida said Wednesday.
Jason Davis, 37, of West Palm Beach, is charged with eight counts of wire fraud, one count of access device fraud, 12 counts of aggravated identity theft and two counts of making a false statement to a government agency.
Recommended Videos
Federal prosecutors said the remains of Henry T. Davis Jr. were found in April 2013, but nobody except for his son knew that he was dead.
According to the indictment, Jason Davis was present when his father was killed, but he failed to report it to the authorities. Instead, Jason Davis assumed his father's identity in order to collect about $1,500 in monthly federal benefits.
The indictment alleges that Jason Davis collected about $120,000 in federally funded benefits.
Authorities didn't say who killed Henry T. Davis Jr. or how he died, but they believe he died as early as 2008.
Jason Davis appeared before a federal judge Wednesday in West Palm Beach. He is scheduled for a pretrial detention hearing Jan. 27.