Arlington Heights man accused in benefits scam

An Arlington Heights man who served as secretary-treasurer of a local labor union has been charged with fraud after federal prosecutors accused him of concocting a scheme to qualify for early retirement benefits.

John A. Matassa Jr., 65, is charged with enacting the scam more than four years ago, according to court records.

Matassa is accused of falsifying union board meeting minutes to show authorization to hire his wife in early 2013. Prosecutors say he lowered his own salary and used the difference to pay his wife, even though she had no role or actual job function. Matassa personally signed his spouse's paychecks and deposited them into a joint account, authorities said.

Shortly afterward, Matassa applied for early retirement benefits from the Social Security Administration's Old-Age Insurance program, listing his reduced salary amount in the application, according to the indictment, prosecutors said. The federal benefits agency approved the application and Matassa began receiving Social Security payments.

Matassa is facing 20 years in prison if convicted. He is scheduled for arraignment next month.