A Nevada man was indicted on charges that he allegedly stole more than $225,000 in Social Security Administration disability benefits erroneously issued to his deceased wife after she died in 2014.
Lawrence Nadien, 56, was arraigned today before Judge Colin O’ Donnell on one count of Grand Larceny in the Second Degree (a Class C felony). The defendant pleaded not guilty and was released on his own recognizance. Nadien is due back in court on June 25, 2026. He faces up to five to 15 years in prison if convicted.
In February 2026, the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General (SSA OIG) referred allegations of theft of SSA Title II Disability Insurance Benefits (DIB) issued for the benefit of Donna Spivak to NCDA.
The investigation arose out of an initiative that seeks to identify potentially deceased SSA beneficiaries in current or suspended pay status whose deaths were not reported to the SSA.
The investigation revealed that Spivak, Nadien’s wife, died on August 24, 2014, in the Bronx while she was in current pay status with SSA for disability benefits. Nadien was listed as the informant on his wife’s death certificate.
Nadien’s deceased wife was receiving $2,195 per month via direct deposit into a TD Bank checking account, which was jointly held by both spouses.
The last address of record with SSA for the benefits was on Duckpond Dr. N. in Wantagh.
Bank records obtained during the course of the investigation revealed that Nadien allegedly regularly withdrew and transferred the monthly SSA payments to another TD Bank checking account for his personal use.
Between August 24, 2014, and October 21, 2024, when SSA OIG requested the benefits be terminated, Nadien allegedly fraudulently received approximately $227,258 in SSA benefits to which he was not entitled.
The defendant was arrested in Nevada on May 22, 2026, by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department and extradited to Nassau County on June 11, 2026, by the Nassau County Police Department’s Fugitive Squad.
“For a decade, this defendant allegedly continued to collect hundreds of thousands of dollars in benefits issued to his wife after her death,” said Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly. “Handling the death of a spouse is an incredibly difficult and painful process, but this defendant allegedly ignored multiple attempts by the Social Security Administration to contact him about the erroneous payments. The health of our social safety net is dependent on the honesty of individuals participating in these programs, and my office will pursue criminal charges when there is evidence of theft that impacts these vulnerable populations.”
“As alleged, the defendant failed to report his wife’s death and continued to receive benefits issued in her name for years for his own personal use, causing a significant loss to the Social Security program,” said Amy Connelly, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General (SSA OIG), Boston–New York Field Division. “Timely reporting of the death of a Social Security beneficiary is essential to protecting the integrity of Social Security programs and safeguarding taxpayer funds. SSA OIG remains committed to investigating those who exploit these programs for personal gain.”