PORTLAND, Maine — An Arrowsic man is going to prison for six months after he was sentenced Tuesday on a charge of Social Security fraud, according to the U.S. attorney’s office.
Robert Canton, 73, was also ordered to pay $162,786.80 in restitution and serve three years of supervised release. He was sentenced in U.S. District Court.
Canton’s mother had received retirement and survivors benefits following the death of her husband, and the benefits were deposited into a joint account Canton had with his mother. Canton did not notify the Social Security Administration of her death in September 2000, and benefits continued to be deposited into the joint account through September 2014.
At that time, excess payments totaled the amount of the restitution Canton was ordered to pay. He apparently used all but about $15,000 on personal bills and expenses.
The investigation was conducted by the SSA’s Office of the Inspector General. Canton pleaded guilty in January.
