Former Hamilton Man Admits Lying to Receive Social Security Administration Benefits

From the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Montana:

MISSOULA — A former Hamilton man today admitted to making false statements to receive disability payments from the Social Security Administration, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.

Aaron Lee Grossman, 50, of Washington, Utah, and formerly of Hamilton, pleaded guilty to false statements to a government agency, a felony. Grossman faces a maximum of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. In a plea agreement filed in the case, Grossman agrees to be responsible for complete restitution in the amount of approximately $71,456 to the Social Security Administration.

U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for June 27. Grossman was released pending further proceedings.

In court documents, the government alleged that in 2011, Grossman applied for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) payments from the Social Security Administration. The agency reviewed and approved Grossman’s application and advised him of his legal obligation to notify it if he experienced a change in his ability to work, returned to work or if his medical condition improved. In 2019, Grossman received $36,210 from Lynch Insulation for work he performed through Grossman Consulting, LLC. In June 2020, Grossman submitted a Work Activity Report to the Social Security Administration and did not disclose this income. Had he done so, Grossman would have been ineligible for SSDI benefits. When questioned by Social Security Administration agents, Grossman claimed his wife earned those wages. However, records from Lynch Insulation indicted that Grossman, in fact, completed the work. In an interview in 2021, Grossman admitted he concealed his work for and income from Lynch Insulation so he could maintain his Social Security Administration benefits.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Karla E. Painter is prosecuting the case, which was investigated by the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General.