Former Auburn resident charged for Social Security fraud

A former Auburn resident has been charged with wire fraud, aggravated identity theft and Social Security fraud after assuming the identity of a deceased individual. The U.S. Attorney's Office confirmed Richard Warren Ralston, 69, of Mesa, Arizona, assumed the identity of a man, born in 1948 and died in 1965, and submitted an application for retirement benefits to the Social Security Administration (SSA) on Sept. 21, 2011, while living in Auburn. "For more than a decade, Ralston concealed his true identity and used the deceased man's name, birthdate and Social Security Number to apply for and collect SSA retirement benefits," the U.S. Attorney's Office reported following the unsealing of a 12-count indictment against Ralston. According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Ralston's identity theft and false statements resulted in a loss of $114,285. The SSA Office of Inspector General is conducting the investigation. Ralston could face a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, the U.S. Attorney's Office confirmed.