New Bedford Man Sentenced for Stealing Benefits from Marine Corps Vet With ALS

BOSTON (WBSM) — A New Bedford man was sentenced today for stealing over $450,000 in disability benefits from a 20-year U.S. Marine Corps vet suffering from ALS.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Joseph Smith, 71, was sentenced to 23 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release. He also must pay back $459,550.86 in restitution.

After first being charged in June 2024, Smith pleaded guilty in September to one count of theft of government benefits and one count of conspiracy to steal government benefits.

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“Every American owes a debt of gratitude to the men and women who have worn the uniform. Stealing from them is simply immoral and Mr. Smith will now pay a heavy price for his egregious betrayal of a veteran who sacrificed for all of us to keep our country free and safe,” said United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “Stealing from a Marine Corps veteran who bravely served for 20 years as he battled a devastating illness is about as low as it gets.”

The victim was diagnosed with ALS in August 2015, and then was approved for veteran disability benefits of $8,318 per month. The checks were issued beginning in September 2015 each month and mailed to the victim’s former residence in New Bedford, where he had resided with Smith’s relative.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office said between 2015 and 2020, while the victim was hospitalized with ALS, Smith and others received the checks and deposited them into accounts they controlled.

Smith first deposited the disability checks into a bank account in his own name. Then he and the others involved fraudulently opened an account in the victim’s name and deposited the checks in that account, from which Smith would later withdraw the funds in cash for use for his personal expenses.