A Nevada man is accused of quietly draining more than $225,000 in Social Security disability payments meant for his late wife, and now a Nassau County grand jury has indicted him.
Prosecutors say 56-year-old Lawrence Nadien kept collecting the money for roughly a decade after his wife died in 2014, ultimately pocketing about $227,258 in benefits. He was arrested in Nevada in May, extradited to Nassau County in June, and pleaded not guilty at his arraignment in Mineola. He was released on his own recognizance and is due back in court later this month.
Nadien was arraigned before Judge Colin O'Donnell on one count of Grand Larceny in the Second Degree and pleaded not guilty, according to the Nassau County District Attorney's Office. The office says Nadien is scheduled to return to court on June 25 and faces a potential prison term of five to 15 years if convicted. The case is being prosecuted by Senior Investigative Counsel Sara Schwartz of the Major Financial Frauds Bureau, and Nadien is represented by Justin Feinman, Esq.
Prosecutors say the deceased beneficiary, Donna Spivak, had been receiving $2,195 per month in Social Security disability benefits via direct deposit into a TD Bank checking account jointly held with Nadien. According to investigators, bank records show he regularly withdrew and transferred those payments for his own use.
Between August 24, 2014, and October 21, 2024, investigators say the withdrawals totaled about $227,258, as reported by Long Island Press. Court papers and the indictment also state that Nadien was listed as the informant on Spivak's death certificate and that he was arrested in Las Vegas on May 22 before being extradited to Nassau County on June 11.
How investigators say the payments were flagged
The Social Security Administration’s Office of the Inspector General runs initiatives to identify beneficiaries who remain in pay status after death, and its 2026 news feed documents multiple recent prosecutions of similar schemes, according to SSA OIG. Prosecutors say a review by that office led investigators to Spivak’s account for further scrutiny, which ultimately resulted in Nadien's indictment.
Charges, penalties and what comes next
Prosecutors charged Nadien with Grand Larceny in the Second Degree, a C felony that carries a potential prison term of five to 15 years if he is convicted, according to the Nassau County District Attorney's Office. DA Anne T. Donnelly said investigators found evidence that the defendant "continued to receive benefits issued in her name for years for his own personal use," and stressed that her office will pursue criminal charges when there is evidence of theft. The charges remain accusations and Nadien is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
What to watch next
Nadien is expected back in Mineola on June 25, where the case will proceed through county court. Prosecutors have indicated that restitution and accountability could be part of any eventual disposition if there is a conviction or plea.
Local investigators thanked SSA OIG for its partnership in the probe and noted that similar referrals will likely continue as the agency relies on audits and data tools to flag irregular payments and potential long-running frauds.
