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Criminal Investigation | Oct. 27, 2023

Poway Man Sentenced to Prison after Concealing Mother’s Death for 32 years, Stealing Over $800,000 in Government Benefits

DCIS

Donald Felix Zampach, who concealed his mother’s death in 1990 then stole more than $800,000 in government benefits intended for her, was sentenced in federal court today to 24 months in prison. Zampach pleaded guilty to money laundering and Social Security fraud in June 2023. According to his plea agreement, Zampach’s mother died in Japan in 1990. At the time of her death, she was receiving a widow’s pension from the Social Security Administration and an annuity from the Department of Defense (DoD). Zampach maintained his mother’s bank accounts for over three decades after her death, forged her signature on certificates of eligibility to keep her government benefits in pay, and fi led forged federal income taxes.