TRENTON — A 64-year-old former Long Branch city official pleaded guilty in federal court Thursday to collecting Social Security disability checks that had been paid to his deceased wife for more than four years after her death.

According to a statement by U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman, former city councilman Brian Unger, who now resides in Rincon, Puerto Rico, pleaded guilty to one count of theft of government money. The charge carries a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000, according to Fishman.

Authorities say that in 2008, Unger’s wife, who had been suffering an illness that prevented her from working, applied to the Social Security Administration for Disability Insurance Benefits. In March of that same year, her eligibility was approved and funds began to be deposited electronically into her bank account. Fishman said in a statement that when the woman died in 2009, Unger failed to notify Social Security.

Subsequently, funds continued to be direct deposited into the account until September 2013.

"Between June 2009 and October 2013, Unger accessed his deceased wife’s bank account on multiple occasions and used the funds deposited by the SSA on her behalf for his own personal expenses," the U.S. Attorney said in a statement.

Unger collected a total of $82,854 in SSA benefits that were deposited into his late wife's account. He told investigators he never informed Social Security of her death because he wanted to continue collecting benefits, Fishman said. In May of 2013, the disability benefits were converted to Retirement Insurance Benefits, when she would have turned 65.

Unger served as a member of the Long Branch City Council, and in 2010, he unsuccessfully ran for mayor, losing to incumbent Adam Schneider, according to NJ.com.

Sentencing for Unger is scheduled for Jan. 18, 2017.

Toniann Antonelli is a social content producer for NJ 101.5. She can be reached at toniann.antonelli@townsquaremedia.com, or on Twitter @ToniRadio1015.

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