Former Renton man indicted in Social Security embezzlement scheme

A former Renton man accused of embezzling Social Security payments from hundreds of disabled clients will be returned to Seattle from San Antonio, where he was arrested last week, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Maurice D. Brooks, 46, through his nonprofit company Professional Payee Services, is accused of stealing more than $300,000 from the accounts of more than 300 disabled Social Security beneficiaries while acting as their personal representative and being responsible for seeing that their daily needs are met, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Brooks worked as an "organizational representative payee," the designated gatekeeper for Social Security payments going to his clients who don't have family or anyone else to help them with their finances. The Social Security Administration allows ORPs to deduct a fee of up to $68 a month for each beneficiary the ORP represents, said Assistant U.S. Attorney Johanna Vanderlee. In return, the ORP ensures that the payee has adequate funds for food, lodging and clothing.

A two-count indictment handed down last week by a Seattle grand jury alleges that Brooks deducted "far more" than he was supposed to, according to a U.S. Attorney's news release.

In one instance, where a client had received a lump-sum back payment from Social Security, Brooks alleged took $36,800.

Brooks moved to Texas in July, the news release says.

"Using a conservative estimate ... investigators calculate that during the years 2003 through 2007, Brooks embezzled approximately $302,727.42 in ... benefits from his disabled clients and used those funds for his personal enjoyment," the news release says.

Mike Carter: 206-464-3706 or mcarter@seattletimes.com