Man Admits to Stealing Nearly $20,000 in Federal Benefits – NBC10 Philadelphia

A man has pleaded guilty to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft in Essex County, New Jersey.

Asmar Earp, 37, admitted his role in embezzling federal benefits intended for his ex-girlfriend's disabled child shortly after she disappeared in 2017, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Jersey.

Earp was in a romantic relationship with a woman identified as VW and was sharing a home with her when she began receiving monthly payments administered by the Social Security Administration for her disabled son who was a minor. VW was the one receiving the payments since his son had been deemed unable to manage SSI benefits on his own.

On or around Dec. 24, 2017, VW disappeared and six days later, Earp fraudulently took control of VW's son's benefits by changing the PIN on the debit card used to access the funds, authorities said.

In March and April 2018, Earp also fraudulently used VW’s name, date of birth, and Social Security number to receive replacement debit cards in order to continue accessing and using VW’s son’s benefits.

“From December 2017 to February 2020, Earp and others acting under his direction repeatedly and fraudulently took money intended to help VW’s son and used it for themselves,” the prosecutor’s office said in a statement.

According to the indictment, Earp and others under his direction used the debit cards to withdraw SSI payments in New Jersey and Ohio during the time period the prosecutor's office alleges.

In total, Earp caused the SSA to pay him approximately $19,797 in SSI payments that were payable to VW as his son's representative and intended exclusively for his benefit.

Earp was charged with two counts of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.

Each count of wire fraud carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000, or twice the victim's gross loss or the defendant's gain, whichever is greater.

The aggravated identity theft charge carries a mandatory statutory sentence of two years in prison, to run consecutively to any other term of imprisonment, and a fine of $250,000, or twice the victim's gross loss or the defendant's gain, whichever is greater.

VW's location remains unknown as of February 2023.

Authorities have not said who has had custody of VW's son since his disappearance.

This is a developing story. Check back regularly for updates.