A Queens man was charged with stealing $56,000 in Holocaust survivor benefits by tricking the German government into believing his dead mom was still alive, authorities said Thursday.
Gary Jacoby, 61, allegedly maintained the deception by forging the signature of his Holocaust-survivor mom, Laura Jacoby, on required annual forms after she died at Forest Hills Hospital in 2008, Queens District Attorney Richard Brown said.
”Each year between 2008 and 2012, Gary Jacoby would bring the life certificate forms — purportedly containing Mrs. Jacoby’s signature — to a notary who knew both him and his family to have the certificates notarized, even though the notary knew that Mrs. Jacoby was no longer alive,” the DA said.
The son even went to the German Embassy in March 2012 and lied that his mom was still alive in order to keep the survivor cash coming, the DA alleged.
Queens prosecutors said they learned of the alleged scam when the German Pension Insurance Company tipped them off.
Defense attorney Sam Karliner did not respond to a message seeking comment.