A New Jersey man has pleaded guilty to concealing the death of his cousin, a retired U.S. Marine, for more than eight months so he could keep collecting the veteran’s state benefits.
Steven M. Blankenship, 59, admitted during an Oct. 9 hearing that he hid the death of Michael S. Blankenship, 72, from authorities in order to continue receiving checks and benefits owed to the dead man. Steven had served as his older cousin’s caretaker and lived with him in a mobile home in Fairfield Township, New Jersey, according to NJ.com.
Prosecutors say Steven scammed the state out of thousands of dollars by keeping the scheme running while his cousin’s body remained hidden inside the home.
How the scheme was discovered
The deception came to light in April 2025, when New Jersey State Police responded to a wellness check at the mobile home in the Evergreen Estates community. Court documents show troopers noticed a smell
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